RENES, Switzerland (September 26, 2024) – The President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan and 2004 Olympic silver medalist and two-time middleweight world champion, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been appointed Chair of a new Olympic Commission by World Boxing, the International Federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
As Chair of the new Commission, Golovkin will work closely with World Boxing’s leadership to manage the organization’s relationship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and oversee the pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the sport program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.
Other members of the Commission will be added in the coming weeks to ensure it is diverse and representative of the global boxing community.
Launched in April 2023, World Boxing currently has 44 National Federations as members and held its first formal meeting with the IOC in May 2024.
The main areas of focus of the new Olympic Commission, in developing a pathway for boxing to be restored to the Olympic program, will be:
– World Boxing promotion
– Membership and recruitment
– Financial sustainability
– Support the IOC process for recognition of World Boxing
After a hugely successful boxing career, which saw him win a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the middleweight world title twice in a professional career made-up of 42 wins, two losses and a draw, Golovkin was appointed the President of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee in 2024.
In this role he expects the National Federation for boxing in Kazakhstan to lead by example as a full member of World Boxing.
On his appointment as Chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission, Golovkin said: “For me personally, as well as for all the sports world, it is important to preserve boxing as an Olympic sport, and this will be my top priority. I also intend to work closely with the IOC on issues of boxing’s commitment to the Olympic values of honesty, fairness and transparency.
“I am confident that my experience as a professional athlete will help build systemic work within World Boxing, and through joint efforts we will be able to give boxing a new impetus to its development, but there is still much to be done.”
The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “Gennadiy is one of the most globally significant boxers of the last decade and to have him supporting our cause and using his experience, expertise and profile to work on behalf of World Boxing is a significant boost for our organization.
“As someone that had a hugely successful career in both Olympic-style and professional boxing, Gennadiy has a deep knowledge of the sport and completely understands why continuing to be part of the Olympic Movement is so vital to the ongoing success of boxing at every level, from the grassroots to the professional ranks.
“Gennadiy will be a huge asset to our organization, and I look forward to working closely with him in delivering our mission to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”
World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to keep Boxing in the Olympic Games. On May 7, 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signaled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.
World Boxing has welcomed the decision by the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation to apply for membership of World Boxing.
The decision to apply follows the announcement today (26 September 2024) that the President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan and 2004 Olympic silver medalist and two-time middleweight world champion, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been appointed Chair of a new Olympic Commission by World Boxing.
Following this announcement, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation today issued a statement which said: “Kazakhstan Boxing Federation has made an important decision as a result of lengthy discussions and analysis.
“Kazakhstan submitted an official application to join the World Boxing organization. This decision is primarily related to the Olympic future of domestic boxers.”
The statement went on to include a quote from the President of Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, Shahmurat Mutalip.
He said: “Now the issue of boxing remaining in the Olympic program is being discussed at the NOC level. We are ready to work together with all countries in order to preserve boxing in the Olympic Games program. We believe that this decision will allow boxing to further develop.
“During the meeting with Gennadiy Golovkin, Chairman of the World Boxing Olympic Commission, President of the National Olympic Committee, we discussed ways to develop domestic boxing.”
The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “World Boxing welcomes this decision, and we look forward to working closely with both the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation and the Chair of our new Olympic Commission, Gennadiy Golovkin, on the future development and growth of our organization as we pursue our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.
“Kazakhstan is one of the most consistently successful nations in Olympic-style boxing and I have no doubt that having its National Federation as a member will be a major boost to World Boxing and have a significant impact on our presence in Asia as we look to diversify and grow our global footprint.