IBA approves membership of four new national federations; terminates three

Dubai, Dec 10 (IANS) International Boxing Association (IBA) approved the membership of four new federations while three organizations had their memberships terminated at its Annual Congress held here on Saturday.

As many as 170 National Federation members voted as Swiss Boxing was welcomed back following its resignation from IBA under new leadership, a direction that was then reversed at their last General Assembly.

In addition, the US Boxing Federation, a new organization led by legendary Roy Jones Jr was formed following the disaffiliation of USA Boxing. Oceania gained two new members as the Norfolk Island Boxing Association and Tuvalu Amateur Boxing Association were accepted, according to IBA release.

The three organizations that had their memberships terminated by the IBA Congress are Czech Boxing Association, German Boxing Association and Dutch Boxing Federation.

Following these terminations, IBA chief Umar Kremlev said IBA will welcome other organizations from countries no longer associated with the governing body.

"We are very welcome to countries being part of the boxing family, but unfortunately in several countries we have problems with boxing associations, and we made decisions on the entities, but not the countries," Kremlev said.

"We already have candidates who want to apply for IBA membership like US Boxing Federation did. We are open to candidates from countries which leave IBA or that will be terminated by the decision of the Congress," he added.

Furthermore, IBA Secretary General and CEO Chris Roberts OBE announced the event calendar for 2024, which is set to include 16 Champions’ Nights (professional format fights), an increase from 10 this year. Zagreb is slated to host the first of these on January 13.

Roberts also spoke about securing contracts with boxers and officials to bring athletes into professionalism through IBA Champions’ Night.

The IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships is to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, with Armenia in talks over the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships, having previously held the IBA Junior World Boxing Championships this year.

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