With immediate effect, the International Boxing Federation, IBA, allows Russian and Belarusian boxers to compete in events organized by IBA.

This decision comes a week after the Russian Umar Kremlev was re-elected as chairman.

- I think like most sensible people do.

That this is a scandal and it's not true.

It is completely unacceptable, says Swedish Boxing Association chairman Per-Axel Sjöholm to SVT Sport.

What do you think this means for boxing?

- Further polarization between the group that is in favor of Olympic boxing and democracy, and the one that does not care about democracy and runs its own way.

Don't want to meet Russians

The decision from IBA takes Sweden's position in future competitions and tournaments.

- We cannot participate where Russian and Belarusian boxers are allowed.

And as I understand it, Spain won't either, and much of Western Europe is against it.

The Ukrainian Boxing Federation has chosen to suspend IBA, but yesterday they announced that Ukrainian boxers may compete under a neutral flag.

Candidates were disqualified

Before the Olympics in Tokyo 2021, Iba was no longer responsible for the qualifiers or the Olympic competitions themselves after, among other things, several refereeing scandals.

The same thing will happen before Paris 2024 and the IOC has called for new leadership in boxing.

So far, boxing is not on the 2028 Olympic program either.

In the past, it has also stormed around the International Boxing Federation.

This spring, several candidates for the IBA board were disqualified, including the Swedish Boxing Association's chairman Per-Axel Sjöholm and chairman candidate Boris van der Vorst - only one day before the spring congress.

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Cas, ruled that the disqualification was invalid.

ARCHIVE: Sjöholm rages after the decision: "Pathetic" (September 25, 2022)

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Russian pamp Umar Kremlev was re-elected as chairman of the International Boxing Federation.

Photo: TT