Suicidal. Excluded from the Olympic movement for more than three years, threatened with seeing its discipline remain at the door of the Los Angeles Games in 2028, the International Boxing Federation (IBA) has taken another step towards a big leap into the void. She confirmed, after an undivided vote, the Russian Umar Kremlev on the presidential seat.
Meeting last weekend in Yerevan, Armenia, the extraordinary IBA congress had a perfect, perhaps unique, opportunity to put the house in order. And even, come on, find favor in the eyes of the IOC.
The last presidential election having been invalidated, its members could put an end to the Umar Kremlev episode. And choose, to lead the team between now and the Paris 2024 Games, a president with a nationality and background that is less suspicious for the Olympic body.
The opportunity was great. But it will go down in the tumultuous history of Olympic boxing as another missed opportunity.
Sunday September 25, Umar Kremlev (photo above, standing) retained his place. Boris van der Vorst, his Dutch rival, brought back into the game by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after having been unfairly excluded last May during the initial election, did not carry much weight. However, his victory would undoubtedly have reassured the IOC. And, through a domino effect, gave color to the Olympic future of boxing.
As things never happen as they do elsewhere in the world of boxing, the extraordinary IBA congress was not asked to choose between Umar Kremlev and Boris van der Vorst for the post of president. Too simple, probably. Delegates were asked to decide, by vote, whether to hold new elections.
The answer leaves little room for doubt. Of the 146 national federations eligible to participate in the ballot, 106 responded in the negative, a result of 75%. In the opposite camp, only 36 countries voted in favor of holding new elections. Four delegates abstained.
Failing to be presented as a presidential candidate, Boris van der Vorst did not have the opportunity to defend his chances, his program and his vision of the future of the IBA. The Dutchman was, however, supported by several Western federations, including the United States.
With such a result, and such an undemocratic electoral procedure, the future of boxing within the Olympic movement seems darker than ever. Shortly after the announcement of the result, the IOC issued a short statement, saying “ extremely concerned"
The Olympic body has been repeating for months its doubts about the reforms initiated by Umar Kremlev, particularly in terms of governance and arbitration. She also emphasizes the financial dependence of the IBA on its main private partner, the Russian company Gazprom. A dependence that the IOC considers dangerous for the future of the discipline and its international federation.
As a reminder, the IBA has been suspended from the Olympic movement since June 2019 (it was then called AIBA). It lost the privilege of organizing the qualification course and then the Olympic tournament, for the Tokyo 2020 Games, but also those of Paris 2024. It no longer selects the judges and referees.
More seriously, boxing is temporarily excluded from the program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games, as are weightlifting and modern pentathlon. With the confirmed election of Umar Kremlev, it would take a miracle for the IOC Executive Board to reverse its decision.
Umar Kremlev knows this. But, obviously, the Russian doesn't care. After the vote result was announced on Sunday September 25 in Yerevan, he explained to delegates through an interpreter that “ no one else should have influence over the organization. No one can exclude us"
Then he clarified, quoted in a press release from the body: “ I want to send a clear message today. The IBA is an independent and strong organization. Our Congress proved today that we are on the right track. I will present a 4-year development plan at the Board of Directors meeting. I have a clear vision of what we need to do to achieve our goals"
In Yerevan, the IBA's suicide operation was not limited to giving full powers to a Russian leader whom the IOC had placed on its blacklist for two years. The body also suspended the Ukrainian Boxing Federation on Friday September 23, preventing it from participating in the vote.
Reason given: officially, “ government interference » in federal cases. But the Ukrainian federation is paying the price above all for its decision to have written to the other member countries to ask them to vote for the holding of new elections and the exclusion of Umar Kremlev.
The IBA no longer recognizes Kyrylo Shevchenko as president of the Ukrainian federation. She prefers Volodymyr Prodyvus, known to be an ally of Umar Kremlev. The Ukrainian leader left his country at the start of the invasion by the Russian army. He is today vice-president of the IBA.
