Boxing will stay in the Olympics for the Los Angeles 2028 games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made this decision on Thursday during their meeting in Greece.
This news comes as a relief for boxing fans and athletes. The sport has been part of the Olympics since 1904, but it almost got kicked out of the Paris 2024 games. The IOC had problems with the old boxing federation, the International Boxing Association (IBA). They ended up putting together a special group to run the boxing events for Paris 2024.
Now, a new organization called World Boxing has stepped up. They've been working hard for months to get the IOC's approval. On February 26, they got it. World Boxing now has the support of 88 countries.
Boris Van Der Vorst, the head of World Boxing, was thrilled with the decision. He said:
"This is a great day for boxers, boxing and anyone involved at any level with our sport globally. This is the result of a great team effort and would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of national federations, boxers, coaches, officials and leaders who worked together to make this happen."
Former world boxing champion Gennadiy Golovkin has been helping out too. He became the chairman of World Boxing's Olympic Committee in September. Golovkin worked with Van Der Vorst and even talked with IOC President Thomas Bach in Paraguay to make this happen.
The IOC voted unanimously to keep boxing in the 2028 Olympics. Thomas Bach seemed happy about it, saying:
"I thank you for the approval for boxing. We can expect a great boxing tournament."
World Boxing knows they've got a big job ahead. They've promised to be a trustworthy partner for the Olympics. They understand that being in the Olympics is something they need to earn, not something they're entitled to.
This decision means a lot for boxers around the world. They'll get to keep chasing their Olympic dreams in Los Angeles in 2028.
