Please note: this article is written entirely by Chris Roberts, CEO of IBA, and represents his opinion. It does not represent the views of Inside The Games and we will always be open to publishing the opinions of counterparts. 

The best and worst of sporting humanity and that fine line of moral ambiguity. The story continues with the realisation, that the IBA has not done anything wrong, more so the complete opposite… it is doing everything possible to make things right for the ultimate prize: to ensure that the athlete and the sport of boxing remain at the very heart of our core business. 

Doing the right thing on a difficult day… doing the right thing every day is a strapline that we work to in the hardest possible way.  

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious, unflinchingly graphic and stylistically influential films ever made. The wording in the subject title can be compared to the sport of amateur boxing in its very current guise and we at IBA believe that ‘for the good of boxing’ is where we are, the remaining elements of this subject title can be regurgitated on many occasions, but the facts speak volumes: we create the conditions for success.

The sharp finger that stiffly points towards the Bad and the Ugly should be directed to two other organisations. We know the story, the organisations that have undoubtedly contributed to the demise of Olympic medals, much sought after by those hardworking and dedicated boxers. The message is absolutely clear and the analytics amongst our sporting community can undeniably vouch for the truth.

The most recent debacle at the Olympic Games is another clear demonstration of the International Olympic Committee’s moral compass pointing completely in the opposite direction to what is right. 

IBA supports the strapline, doing the right thing is what we do, communicating the facts, but again, very much like the demanding work managed in the past 3 years, going unnoticed. 

In the end, the truth will eventually come out, and the global sports community will see that IBA stood by doing what was right. We hope that this sends out a clear message to all, and highlights the corruption brought about by the International Olympic Committee.

World Boxing continues to push out the word and indeed lies … to be “a sustainable, inclusive, and transparent international sports federation based on honesty, integrity and excellence that puts the interests of boxers first and ensures the sport of boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.”

Let us break this vision down:

• Sustainable – with what?  Money from the IOC that should have already been given to the athletes… no funds, no events, no support, no prize money.
• Inclusive – the so what? To allow athletes of different biological make-up to compete against each other at the highest level – to jeopardize athletes' safety? The most recent Colorado and Eindhoven events support this narrative.
• Honesty and integrity – measured against the ambitions to take away the dreams of many athletes; nothing honest about removing their own boxers from performance pathways. It takes time to build a competition model; athletes suffered in Paris 2024 due to lack of bout volume and high-level opposition based on their own selfish decisions (to not allow boxers to compete in IBA events) – the results spoke for themselves.
• Heart of the Olympic movement – we wonder if World Boxing realises that the IOC does not care about anything or anyone other than their own selfish views and thoughts (Paris 2024 being a clear example of their most arrogant ways of operating).

The ‘cuckoo effect’ has been employed in its full by World Boxing, attempting to take away those National Federations belonging to someone else, indeed with unknown promises, and very little to justify their own existence. Taking on the might of the IBA has proven to be their downfall, specifically telling many lies about who has joined their organisation, and who has not. It is clear, and the tale continues to demonstrate those far-reached stories – to this day, all of those NFs declared on their website are members of IBA, other than 14 who have resigned their membership. 

So, in theory, only 14 official members, the remainder sit on the fence and stay worried about their own futures and outcomes. Quite rightly, they should be… the deceitful ways in which this organisation has been operating now does not surprise our members in the slightest. Their very own self-declared office in Switzerland remains as the home and residence of Mr Simon Toulson, their Secretary General… the cowboy story continues.

It is now a known fact that World Boxing indeed, with a large contingent of its executive board coming from the American Continent, have "placed a concerning lack of confidence in their President, Mr Boris Van der Vorst." 

According to a known source from within, Mr Van Der Vorst will be replaced sometime in 2025, should the organisation remain in existence. 

The lack of finances, the lack of events, and the ‘piggy-back effect’ used to add their World Boxing logo to already existing events (to include training camps – such as Colorado), is another clear sign of desperation to please their audience from within. Maybe part of the reason why, particularly USA Boxing, have lost the trust in their leadership.

IBA has declared in the past that any National Federation that decides to leave for World Boxing, the door will always remain open in the future. The news to date and the door will remain closed for any National Federation that leaves, no more the opportunity to come back, no dual membership, no returning back. The choice is clear, remain with IBA, or leave for good. 

To the point made above, athletes restricted from high-level tournaments have indeed suffered during this last Olympic cycle. The responsibility and loss those athletes have suffered sit firmly on the lap of Mr Van der Vorst, a con artist and a liar! For which part does he play within the subject heading… The Bad, or the Ugly… maybe both. This last statement is shared between both the IOC and World Boxing; we let the members decide in this instance.

The reality of all of this, our members do not need to go anywhere, there is no rush, or reason to leave IBA, to make any informed decisions that could prove to be disastrous in the future. We actively encourage and support our members, and we are extremely excited about the future, with quality events and projects, Champions’ Night, World Series of Boxing for 2025, and of course our flagship World Boxing Championships.

With the stepping down of Mr Thomas Bach in 2025, and the opportunity that change is afoot for all in the future, there is no need to panic… remain calm, stay focused, and enjoy those opportunities presented in the future. 2025 will bring back those epic moments that remain in the fine annals of boxing history. IBA is where legends were born, and IBA is where new legends are made. 

The long-standing history since the mid-1940s should remain intact. It is absolutely clear to us that the IOC cannot be trusted and we will now wait for the results of those two boxers that won gold medals in the female category in Paris. #

Time will tell, and time will prove to the world that IBA stood by their athletes and did absolutely what was right, and not what was easy.

The Good, the Bad, or the Ugly… you decide.