The International Boxing Association (
IBA) has taken legal action by appealing to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, challenging a ruling made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS had previously rejected the IBA's appeal against the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to revoke the boxing governing body's Olympic recognition.
The IOC's move came in response to the IBA's inability to address concerns related to its governance, financial practices, and ethical standards.
As the IBA fights to regain its status, a competing organization called World Boxing has emerged, aiming to secure IOC recognition and ensure that the sport of boxing remains a part of the Olympic program beyond the upcoming Paris Games in 2024.
The IBA, currently under the leadership of Russian Umar Kremlev, announced on Tuesday that it had filed an appeal with the Swiss court, which will now examine the legality of the CAS decision.
The CAS, widely regarded as the highest authority in sports-related legal matters, will have its ruling scrutinized by the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications for the future of boxing at the Olympic level and the ongoing power struggle between the IBA and its rival, World Boxing.
"We felt that CAS violated our right to be heard, we felt that they didn’t properly analyse all the issues and the arguments that we put forward, so we appealed to the court," Reuters quoted Chris Roberts, IBA General Secretary and CEO, as saying.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is currently responsible for organizing the boxing tournaments at the upcoming Paris Games. However, the IOC has stated that it will not be able to continue this arrangement in the future.
It is uncommon for the IOC to revoke recognition of an international sports federation, although the Olympic program is subject to periodic changes, with sports being added or removed.