The UAE Boxing Federation is moving to join World Boxing after receiving the required national approvals, with Secretary-General Hassan Al Hammadi confirming the membership application would be submitted "before the end of this week."
The federation secured sign-off from both the National Olympic Committee and the Ministry of Sports, clearing the final administrative hurdles. Al Hammadi said the UAE was joining "the leading group of Asian and Arab countries to show support for the new governance structure," underscoring the country's ambition to play an active role in shaping the sport internationally.
Timing Aligns With Olympic Push
The membership push arrives at a pivotal moment for boxing on the world stage. The IOC Executive Board put boxing forward for inclusion at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics (LA28) at its 144th Session in Greece from March 19–21, 2025 — just days after the UAE's announcement.
World Boxing received provisional IOC recognition in February 2025, formally replacing the International Boxing Association (IBA), which the IOC suspended in 2019 following persistent governance failures. The IOC took direct control of boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics after stripping the IBA of recognition entirely in June 2023.
World Boxing's Growing Membership
Founded in April 2023 as an alternative to the troubled IBA, World Boxing had grown to 84 member associations by March 2025, with the UAE among the newest national federations seeking to join.
Al Hammadi confirmed that the UAE Boxing Federation remains committed to enhancing the nation's involvement in international sports organisations and to backing its athletes throughout their international competition paths — including on the Olympic stage.
The LA28 boxing programme, once confirmed, is expected to feature 14 medal events — seven for men and seven for women — marking full gender parity in Olympic boxing for the first time in history.
