Russia’s flag above the ring ropes

Nno one knows if Muslim Gadzhimagomedov will win fight number 446 of the world championship tournament in Olympic boxing. The 26-year-old heavyweight from the Russian Republic of Dagestan is the favorite when he meets Brazilian Keno Machado for a place in the semifinals this Wednesday in the ring at the Humo Arena in Tashkent. After all, he already won the 2019 world title and won silver at the Olympics in Tokyo.

On the other hand, it is clear that if he were successful, he would be among the last four to stand on the podium at the weekend. And it is just as clear that the Russian flag would then be raised in the airspace above him. If it wins gold, the official anthem of the Russian Federation will be played at the same time.

13 boxers from Russia were accepted

The complete protocol for athletes from Russia, if they participate at all because of Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, should be avoided in such competitions according to the declared will of the IOC. But the International Boxing Association (IBA) has been ignoring guidelines in this regard for some time.

It has been organizing a new, international tournament series for some time, in which Russian boxers slip through the ring ropes in full gear, so to speak, and in addition to Gadschimagomedov, has accepted twelve other Russian boxers in the World Championship decisions in 13 weight classes. Two of them are also expected in the ring on Wednesday. The IBA President sits in front of it on all 14 competition days. His name is Umar Kremlev and he once ran the Russian federation before rising to become the most powerful man in Olympic boxing in late 2020.

The course that has been followed since then is also the reason why the title fights in the capital of Uzbekistan have to make do with significantly fewer participating countries than usual. 21 national federations, including those from the USA and Canada, Sweden and Finland, Ireland and Great Britain, did not send pugilists. They are deliberately holding back their best energies so that they can reach their peak performance in the continental qualifiers for the Summer Games in Paris (from June).

But the majority also because they don’t want to support the politics of Kremlev and Co. – and reserve the right to follow the example of the US Boxing Association. He canceled the IBA’s membership and helped establish a competing organization, World Boxing (WB).

Bitter fighting between the associations

That’s why not only the boxers from 107 nations, but also the two quarreling camps of officials are fighting bitter fights these days. Months ago, the IBA wrote to activists from renegade member countries to personally invite them to the World Cup tournament: travel and accommodation would be covered, medal winners received bonuses between the equivalent of around 46,000 (bronze) and 183,000 euros (gold). So it may have been the longing for attention and money that drove two Germans from the third row to accept the invitation. However, neither Youssef Lazar (BC Hochheim) nor Devrim Gökduman (already eliminated) from Karlsruhe had agreed this with the German Amateur Boxing Association (DBV), as the latter stated in a note to the IBA and various media.

“We value the fact that the athletes and the trainer are a travel group of private individuals with German passports who in no way represent Germany or our association,” emphasized DBV sports director Michael Müller at the request of the FAZ the top of the association also asked the organizers of the World Cup to classify the status of the happy globetrotters as neutral immediately. So far in vain. After all, what could be more urgent for the IBA than pinning as many national flags as possible on its lapels?

Kremlev’s leadership is still struggling to allay the IOC’s concerns about its “governance” (and the unspecified millions from sponsor Gazprom) – for example with a detailed, 400-page report that was delivered a few days ago. What will be decisive, however, will be what the Olympians’ executive decides at the end of May – and which association they want to work with for the next Olympic tournaments. According to behind-the-scenes hints, World Boxing could soon be well ahead of the IBA on the podium.