New Zealand boxers will attend next month's Women's World Championships in India, despite Boxing New Zealand's preference they don't.
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Almost 20 nations are boycotting the event amid mounting concerns about the IBA, the sport's Russian-led world governing body.
The IBA allows fighters from Russia and Belarus to compete with national flags and anthems, despite the war in Ukraine, while boxing's Olympic future is believed to be under threat under the current regime.
Although not wanting to have athletes competing at the World Championships, Boxing NZ left the final decision up to the boxers.
Boxing New Zealand president Steve Hartley said five athletes have confirmed they will attend, with one other still making their decision.
Hartley indicated the situation was a delicate balancing act for the national body.
"We thought it was fair [to let the boxers decide] since they were so far down the track with raising funds and training...
"We're trying to align with what is right, with government policy, which has been stated in a number of agreements they've signed...
"We've decided we're going to support our own, but Boxing New Zealand doesn't support IBA events."
While the New Zealand athletes are set to attend, in what official capacity is yet to be decided.
Hartley said making a call on whether the fighters would remain under the Boxing NZ banner, or compete as neutrals, was one of several issues to be ironed out by the organisation's executive committee in the coming days.
"It comes down to athlete welfare. They're going into a toxic environment, and do we want to put more pressure on their shoulders?
"We want to make sure they're comfortable. Even though we don't agree with them going we must support them because we're so far down the rabbit hole.
"Things have moved quickly and we've got to align ourselves as best we can, within reason."
A key reason for the boxers wanting to attend is the opportunity the event provides to fulfil the New Zealand Olympic Committee's selection requirement for athletes to prove they are capable of a top 16 finish.
Photo: JB Autissier/Panoramic
However, with the International Olympic Committee stripping the IBA of involvement, the main qualifying event for the New Zealander fighters was the Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands later this year.
"[The NZOC] have been very good," Hartley said. "Initially we understood we had no choice, but now it's been established it is our choice.
"We're dealing with it as we can and trying to put the athletes first, but politics are a difficult thing in sport and we're juggling many balls at the moment."
The concerns with the IBA, which is backed by state-controlled Russian energy firm Gazprom, date back to well before the war in Ukraine.
The IOC removed the IBA from involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms that have been demanded.
The issues led to the formation of The Common Cause Alliance, who are campaigning to keep boxing in the Olympics and have regularly voiced concerns about the IBA.
Boxing NZ are a member of the alliance and Hartley said, while they had let their Women's World Championships team make the final call, that wouldn't be the case for the Men's World Championship in Uzbekistan in May.
"I was on a Zoom meeting this morning with 20 countries [in the alliance] and none of them are going to go to IBA events from now on.
"We won't be supporting our men's boxers to go...
"There will be an alternative event (in The Netherlands) anyway. Things are moving very quickly with the (alliance) and we're organising other events in lieu of the IBA events."
Asked if the new organisation being formed by the alliance could eventually take over from the IBA as boxing's official governing body, Hartley simply said "watch this space".
"There is a lot happening, and it will happen very quickly after the [Women's] World Champs.
"The big one is the IOC making an emphatic statement. They've got to make an emphatic statement very soon ... they've encouraged us to do everything we're doing and advised us, but they could help more."
- RNZ
