The Asian Boxing Confederation have voted to remain as members of IBA until a new governing body is recognised by the IOC ©ASBC

World Boxing has suffered another blow in its bid to become the governing body for the sport in the Olympics after the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) elected to remain with the International Boxing Association (IBA).

A total of 31 countries of the 35 present at the ASBC Extraordinary Congress in Bangkok voted to remain with IBA until the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognise a different governing body.

There were three who voted to leave IBA, with one abstention, at the Congress held in the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Thailand's capital.

In June, IBA had become the first International Federation in history to have its accreditation withdrawn by the IOC due to governance issues.

in the immediate aftermath of the decision by the IOC to kick out IBA, the ASBC announced it would be aiming to withdraw from the governing body.

The overwhelming majority of ASBC members voted to remain with the International Boxing Federation ©ASBC
The overwhelming majority of ASBC members voted to remain with the International Boxing Federation ©ASBC

But the expected exodus of countries rushing to join the breakaway rebel group World Boxing has so far failed to materialise.

The future of boxing on the Olympic Games programme has again been plunged into doubt after the IOC Executive Board failed to confirm its place at Los Angeles 2028 during its meeting here on Friday (October 13). 

An IOC Task Force ran the boxing competition at Tokyo 2020 and will do so once again at Paris 2024.

IOC President Thomas Bach has claimed that this is not a long-term solution.

Bach has claimed that there is no way back for IBA - at least under its current President, Russian Umar Kremlev.

The ASBC had pledged in June to quit IBA after the decision by the IOC to strip its right to organise boxing at the Olympics ©ASBC
The ASBC had pledged in June to quit IBA after the decision by the IOC to strip its right to organise boxing at the Olympics ©ASBC

Bach also warned, though, that World Boxing still has work to do if it is to secure recognition from the IOC having attracted only 16 members with a clear lack of support from Asia and Africa.

Until more members join World Boxing, it seems unlikely the IOC will recognise it as the governing body for the sport at the Olympics.

The IBA has called the decision by the IOC "a tremendous error" and appealed against it to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.