Czech boxers to boycott World Championships over IBA approach to Russians

Czech boxers will not attend this year’s men’s and women’s World Championships. The management of the Czech Boxing Association said on Monday its fighters were boycotting the amateur events over the approach of the IBA international association, which allows boxers from Russia and Belarus to compete under their country’s flags despite the invasion of Ukraine.

Czech Boxing Association president Marek Šimák said that the IBA was headed by a Russian who was very close to Vladimir Putin.

The women’s world championship takes place in India in March while the men’s will be held in Uzbekistan in May.