What is the IBA?
The International Boxing Association (IBA) is the historic federation of amateur boxing — founded in 1946 as AIBA and renamed in 2021 — which governed Olympic boxing for three-quarters of a century until the IOC withdrew its recognition on 22 June 2023 over governance, refereeing-integrity and financial concerns, the first expulsion of an international federation in Olympic history.[1] [2]
What happened with the Olympic movement?
The IOC ran the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 boxing tournaments itself through ad-hoc units after suspending AIBA/IBA in 2019; the 2023 expulsion was appealed by the IBA and upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2024. Olympic-style boxing's IOC-recognized federation is now World Boxing.[2] [3]
What does the IBA do today?
It continues to operate outside the Olympic movement — running its own world championships and prize-money events with a reduced membership. Results and titles from IBA competition remain part of many boxers' records, particularly from the AIBA era, when its world championships (first held 1974) were the sport's amateur pinnacle beside the Olympics.[1] [4]
Why does the IBA still matter for records?
Decades of amateur boxing history — world and continental championships, rankings and medals through 2023 — were earned under AIBA/IBA sanction. Reading a boxer's amateur record correctly means knowing which era and which federation sanctioned each result.[1] [4]
References
- IOC — Session withdraws recognition of the International Boxing Association. Accessed August 2026.
- IOC — Statement on CAS decision regarding withdrawal of recognition of IBA. Accessed August 2026.
- World Boxing — Statement following the CAS decision. Accessed August 2026.
- Olympics.com — Boxing. Accessed August 2026.