(File photo) Philippines’ Aira Villegas (Blue) receives instructions from the coach during the break while competing against Turkey’s Buse Naz Cakiroglu in the women’s 50kg semi-final boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Roland-Garros Stadium, in Paris on August 6, 2024. (Photo by Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP)
Aira Villegas is pleased that she is one step closer to fighting again in the Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee gave the Paris Olympics bronze medalist a dose of renewed hope after granting the newly established World Boxing provisional recognition recently as the governing body for the sport.
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“Personally, I am very happy to learn about the latest huge development. I feel blessed and thankful because we could again have the rare opportunity to compete in the Olympics,” said Villegas in Filipino.
READ: Boxing moves ‘one step closer’ to 2028 Olympics place
Boxing faced the possibility of getting stripped from the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after the International Boxing Federation (AIBA), the world governing body in the sport, was suspended by the IOC in 2019.
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Top AIBA officials were hounded by financial, governance and refereeing controversies before the IOC banned the world governing body in the sport in June 2023 after failing to comply with the requirements of the Olympic body.
March 20 vote
It paved the way for the creation of World Boxing in the same year, which has 78 countries under its wings, including the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap).
“It will provide relief that we can just focus on training to get better without getting bothered by the issue,” said Villegas, who pocketed a bronze medal in the women’s 50-kilogram division in last year’s Paris Olympics.
World Boxing’s provisional recognition from the IOC is a vital step for the sport to remain on the Los Angeles program as the federation seeks to replace the AIBA.
Abap chair Ricky Vargas sits as the country’s representative in World Boxing.
According to Abap secretary general Marcus Jarwin Manalo, the IOC General Assembly will gather on March 20 to cast its vote on the formal recognition of World Boxing.
“Hopefully, it’s just a matter of formality, a step closer to boxing’s return to the Olympics,” said Manalo.
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World Boxing has so far complied with the requirements, including the creation of four continental confederations under its fold. INQ
