Uncertainty about the future of boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The uncertainty surrounding the inclusion of boxing in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics has grown in recent weeks, especially following the controversies that have arisen during the Paris 2024 Olympics. The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, announced that the decision regarding the future of boxing will be made in 2025, leaving a discipline that has been an integral part of the Games for over a century in a state of limbo. The recent dispute between the IOC and the International Boxing Association (IBA) has highlighted the tensions surrounding governance and ethics within the sport. This division became evident during the Paris Games with the controversy over the participation of boxers Imane Khelif from Algeria and Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan. The IBA decided to exclude both athletes following a chromosomal test, citing gender ineligibility, while the IOC, in a turn of support for the athletes, decided to allow their participation. This conflict reflects a broader battle over the control and regulation of international boxing, which has been in crisis since the IOC suspended the IBA in 2019. The reasons for this suspension were multiple: governance issues, financial problems, and ethical concerns that have undermined confidence in the organization. In response to these issues, the IOC made the drastic decision to prevent the IBA from organizing boxing events at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, which triggered a series of events culminating in the loss of the IBA's recognition in 2023. The creation of a new organization, World Boxing, has attempted to fill the void left by the IBA and has begun to gain followers. However, it currently has only 37 members, a number that pales in comparison to the long list of affiliates of the IBA. Despite its efforts, this new entity has yet to gain the IOC's recognition, continuing to fuel uncertainty about the future of boxing in the Olympic arena. Bach has urged national boxing federations to unite and establish a new body that can be recognized by the IOC. Otherwise, he warns, boxing could be excluded from the Olympic Games, a possibility that terrifies many fans and practitioners of the sport. The threat of losing inclusion in Los Angeles 2028 not only affects athletes but also has significant implications for the history and tradition of boxing as an Olympic discipline. The controversy surrounding the participation of female boxers has also highlighted the urgent need for revisions in inclusion and eligibility policies in the sport. The debate over the exclusion of Khelif and Yu-ting has sparked discussions about women's rights in sports and brought to light broader issues regarding how gender testing is handled in athletic competitions. The IOC faces a crossroads: if it decides to include boxing in Los Angeles 2028, it must do so with a governance structure that ensures fairness and ethics in competition. The pressure on the organization is intense, as fans and athletes worldwide demand clarity and justice in the treatment of boxers, especially in a context where gender equality remains a hot topic. As the year 2025 approaches, national boxing federations and organizations involved in the sport must urgently work to resolve their differences and prevent the mistakes of the past from being repeated. Time is running out, and boxing athletes, who have dedicated years to preparing for the chance to compete on the Olympic stage, deserve a clear and promising future. The current situation is a wake-up call for boxing: it is time for significant change to ensure that the discipline not only remains in the Olympic Games but also evolves toward a more transparent and fair governance model. Undoubtedly, the outcome of this story will be one of the most closely followed in the world of sports in the coming years.