In 1976, when we learned the story of Sugar Ray Leonard from the great Howard Cosell, boxing stood almost on the same plane as track and field, swimming, and gymnastics at the Montreal Olympics.
In 1984 when the United States won nine gold medals and Evander Holyfield was denied a shot at the 10th because it’s hard to stop a punch in mid-flight, a wealth of future superstars were born on the Los Angeles stage.
And in 1996, when those who still hadn’t given up on the sport continued to watch until final day of competition, we were witness to one of the greatest sporting comebacks in the history of the Games, as David Reid muscled through the fog of a severe beating just long enough to end his gold medal fight with a single punch.
The history of Olympic boxing is rich with superstars, including Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Theofilo Stevenson, Oscar De La Hoya and Wladimir Klitschko. It seems almost tragic, given all of that, to see the amateur version of the sport all but volunteering to exit the Olympic movement.
The International Olympic Committee has had enough, quite obviously, of those in charge of governing the sport on a worldwide basis, otherwise known as the International Boxing Association. It is not far from here for the IOC to have had enough of the sport itself, and that now seems to be what the IBA is seeking to achieve.
The IBA is fighting for its existence, and most of its punches are landing below the belt.
DECOURCY: Imane Khelif's current opponent is bigger than her sport
IBA holds wild press conference at Olympics
Monday, it held a news conference in Paris. What need could there possibly be for a group of suits who are not involved in the competition to speak with the reporters in France to cover those actually participating in the Olympics?
Well, to again argue fighters Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-Ting of Chinese Taipei should not be competing in the women’s portion of boxing competition, even as each is preparing for a semifinal bout, with Khelif up Tuesday against Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand. There was no utility to this. It was a circus designed to embarrass the Olympics, their administrators and their hosts.
Russian Umar Kremlev, president of the IBA, appeared before the roughly 200 reporters by video chat, with three other representatives in person at a table. Kremlev spent part of the time excoriating IOC president Thomas Bach and his organization, including an after-the-bell swipe at the IOC for the substance of the opening ceremonies.
“As a Christian, the Olympic opening ceremony was something horrible,” he said through an interpreter, according to Time.com. “It was horrible for Christians and Muslim people around the world, all people with a spiritual life.”
As for evidence of why Khelif and Yu-Ting were banned a year ago from the World Championships – Khelif before she fought for a gold medal, Yu-Ting after she won a bronze – there was nothing new of substance. It just was discussed by different people.
“We don’t have a conspiracy theory,” Chris Roberts of the IBA told the assembled reporters.
And yet, Kremlev did present a conspiracy theory, undermining his own credibility as he vented. He hadn't much left, considering the IBA offered gold-medal-level prize money to the Italian fighter Khelif defeated in less than a round, Angela Carini. But Kremlev managed to spend most of what remained.
He said Khelif and Yu-Tin were found to have high testosterone levels, even though the IBA has stated the fighters were not tested for the hormone.
“It may be transgender women,” Kremlev said through an interpreter. “Maybe not.”
It is illegal, however, to be transgender in Algeria, where Khelif was born and lives. She insisted after her most recent fight, “I want to tell the entire world that I am a female, and I will remain a female.” The IOC consistently has supported the presence of the two fighters in this competition.
It was the IBA that allowed Khelif to fight in three full World Championship competitions and four bouts of a fourth. Only after she defeated previously unbeaten Azalia Amineva of Russia was Khelif subjected to disqualification, the result of an unspecified gender test the IBA chose not to specify, again, on Monday, nor did they fully explain what prompted the tests.
"We're not able to disclose the results of any tests but you can read between the lines of where that sits,” Roberts said.
It is not at all difficult to read between these lines: The IBA has determined that if it’s not to administer the boxing competition in the Olympic Games, then no one should. If there is no Olympic boxing, at least whatever amateur boxing exists could be the IBA's domain.
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IOC terminates IBA from Olympic boxing
The IOC first suspended the boxing organization in 2019 over issues with governance, finance and refereeing/judging. It recommended termination of the IBA's Olympic status last summer, and an appeal to Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) was dismissed.
National amateur boxing federations around the globe have been notified by the IOC they must conceive an alternative international governing body. To date, roughly 30 federations, including USA Boxing, have joined World Boxing. If the organization gains wide enough acceptance, it could be the body in charge of the sport at the Los Angeles Games in 2028. If that connection is made, the IBA will be even more irrelevant than it is now.
We are a long way from the time when winning at the Olympic Games could launch a fighter’s career in the grandest style. In 1984, though he was DQ’d from his semifinal bout when a referee ordered the two boxers to “stop” after Holyfield had begun to launch a left hand – and that punch knocked out his opponent, so there couldn’t just be a penalty – he joined Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor and Mark Breland in signing with New Jersey-based Main Events. All four won world titles. Holyfield earned the grandest title in sports: heavyweight champion of the world.
Perhaps we’ll eventually return to the time when Olympic boxing gold was precious and prestigious, as well. If we are fortunate to see that day, it will not -- and should not -- be with the IBA in charge.