Massively popular sport added to 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles as official statement released
A popular sport has officially been added to the 2028 Olympics as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have released a statement.
Los Angeles is set to host the Olympics in the summer of 2028 following last summer's Games in Paris.
And ahead of LA28, boxing will feature at the Summer Games after the sport was not part of the initial programme when it was announced in 2022.
Last month, however, World Boxing was given provisional recognition as the sport's international governing body.
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After the IOC Executive Board had decided to put the sport forward to the IOC Session for inclusion in Los Angeles, that has been confirmed and boxing as an Olympic event has been saved.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: "I thank you for the approval of having boxing back. We can look forward to a great boxing tournament."
Boris van der Vorst, president of World Boxing, added: "This is a great day for boxers, boxing and everyone connected with our sport, at every level, across the world.
"This outcome has been achieved by a massive team effort by a huge number of people in every part of the world and would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of all of the national federations, boxers, coaches, officials and boxing leaders that have worked together to enable this to happen. I would like to personally thank each and every one of them for their support and determination to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
"We will do everything in our power to ensure that we operate to the highest standards of governance and transparency and deliver sporting integrity.
"World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and we are determined to be a trustworthy and reliable partner that will adhere to and uphold the values of the Olympic Movement."
Gennady Golovkin, who claimed a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, has welcomed the outcome.
"This means that we have managed to preserve the dream that inspires thousands of athletes around the world," said Golovkin, who is the chair of World Boxing's Olympics Commission. "As an Olympian, I understand how important this is for future generations of champions. The Olympic Games are not just two competitions, they are a symbol of hope, striving for excellence and an opportunity to show the world what you are capable of."
The IOC has run boxing at the past two Olympics after the International Boxing Association (IBA) was suspended as the sport's world governing body over several issues, including governance, finance and refereeing.
IBA was stripped of its status in 2023 over a failure to implement reforms.
The IOC and IBA clashed during last year's Olympics in Paris over the participation of Algeria's Imane Khelif, and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, who both won gold in their respective weight classes.
The IBA banned the fighters in the middle of the 2023 World Championships saying they had failed gender eligibility tests, but the IOC allowed them to compete.
World Boxing, who now have 84 members, was formed in April 2023.
Nasir Jabbar