Ranking points to play a role in LA Olympics qualification: World Boxing President

Greater Noida, Nov 17 (PTI) Outgoing World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst on Monday said ranking points will play a role in the qualification process for the 2028 Los Angeles Games as they will determine seedings in the qualifiers as well as the Olympics.

World Boxing has introduced a new ranking system under which boxers earn points for performances in all WB tournaments, including the World Boxing Cups and World Championships, as well as continental events like the Asian Games and Asian Championships. These points will decide seedings for major competitions.

"First of all, the qualification process for LA is not fully finalised. But it will have continental and world qualifiers," van der Vorst said on the sidelines of the World Boxing Cup Finals here.

"What I will say about the ranking points is that when boxers participate in those qualifiers, they will be ranked, so that in the first bout the two strongest opponents don't meet each other." Under the new system, boxers who perform consistently and accumulate more ranking points are likely to receive better seedings.

Earlier, that was not the case. India's Nikhat Zareen suffered as despite being a world champion she was unseeded at the Paris Olympics and ended up facing the top seed and eventual champion Wu Yu of China in the round of 16.

Having received IOC recognition earlier this year, World Boxing is still in a nascent stage and van der Vorst conceded there are still several challenges for the world body.

"The main challenge still is ensuring that the hand of the best boxer is raised in each bout. Competition integrity remains the main challenge for a jury sport," he said.

Refereeing and judging have long been contentious in boxing, and van der Vorst said World Boxing is working on including AI to assist with bout reviews.

"We are now piloting AI with providers who can assist in bout reviews. Hopefully that will be ready by the time we are in LA. But I cannot promise anything. I can only say that it is important we keep developing as a sport. That is the only way to stay relevant." The Dutchman called India the new Asian powerhouse in boxing.

"I can tell you that everywhere I go as World Boxing President, people are talking about India... that it is the new Asian powerhouse and also a world powerhouse, not only in women's boxing but also in men's boxing," he said.

"You can be proud of that as Indians. And I expect medals for India in LA. I really expect that." Van der Vorst, who is not contesting for a second term, had been at the forefront of the campaign to bring boxing back into the Olympic programme after it was initially dropped from the LA Games.

"I can only tell you my biggest motivation was when I was, for example, here in Delhi in May 2024. And when I visited the boxing gym and I saw young boxers training hard in the heat outside. And when I asked them what is your goal, what do you want to achieve with boxing? "And they all said to me directly, 'I want to represent India at the Olympic Games'," he said. PTI APA AM APA AM AM