‘Hyenas and Jackals’ – IBA blast IABA for World Championships boycott

The International Boxing Association has hit out at the IABA and offered Irish fighters a chance to enter the World Championships.

The IABA followed USA Boxing’s lead and decided to boycott the 2023 world boxing championships, the Women’s version which are set for New Delhi in March and the Men’s Tazkent, Uzbekistan in May.

The move hasn’t gone down well with the IBA’s President Umar Kremlev said those behind the decision are ‘worse than hyenas and jackals’ when speaking at a press conference during an IBA World Boxing tour event in Marrakesh.

“Those, who are doing this to our athletes, are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture. I urge my colleagues to clear their organisations of such hyenas, as I can’t call them another way.”

The IBA were a little more diplomatic in a statement addressing the Irish and American move.

They also offered to cover the expenses of US and Irish boxers who still wanted to participate in both the men and women’s championships.

The statement read:
“It is with great disappointment that IBA reads the statement this week from USA Boxing later followed by the statement from the Irish Athletics Boxing Association, according to which it confirmed its non-participation in our upcoming 2023 IBA World Men and Women Championships.

“These public statements are truly regretful, as they unreasonably damage the reputation of their international governing body as it directly contravenes many articles of the IBA Disciplinary and Ethics Code, and above all, it damages the reputation of IBA, as it is based on defamatory half truths, which is unacceptable.

“While IBA has been making great strides in implementing reforms and cultivating a new culture within the sport. This attack on IBA, cannot be seen as anything other than a clear act to damage IBA’s reputation and breach the values IBA professes while failing to acknowledge the tremendous work done by IBA and supporting the governing body in its efforts and best intentions.

“IBA will support any athlete that wants to participate in the World Championships, to allow them to fulfil their dream of becoming a World Champion. We will protect our athletes, coaches, and the IBA Constitution.”