Secretary general István Kovács has left the International Federation following a restructure ©IBA

International Boxing Association (IBA) secretary general István Kovács has left the world governing body following a restructure of its top management.

The Hungarian, winner of an Olympic gold medal in the bantamweight at Atlanta 1996, had been appointed in March last year.

The 51-year-old Kovács, also a double world amateur champion, has left IBA with immediate effect and been replaced on a temporary basis by George Yerolimpos, whose official title is "ad interim".

He has travelled here to represent IBA at the Commonwealth Games, which started on Thursday (July 28). 

The Greek was formerly the general secretary of the World and European Karate Federation for 16 years.

The 62-year-old Yerolimpos, a qualified economist, has been involved in top-level sports administration for many years.

Among the roles he has held was director on the Organising Committee for the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, a member of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Board of Directors and President of the Hellenic Triathlon Federation.

István Kovács has been replaced on a temporary basis by Greek George Yerolimpos ©IBA
István Kovács has been replaced on a temporary basis by Greek George Yerolimpos ©IBA

In another notable change at IBA, Valeria Trabucchi has swapped roles from managing director to head of international relations.

Earlier this month, IBA appointed former Boxing Scotland chief executive Chris Roberts as its new development director. 

IBA begun advertising for a long-term replacement for Kovács yesterday.

The closing date for application is August 15.

Among the secretary general’s responsibilities, according to the job description, is "assisting in ensuring the implementation of decisions taken by the Congress, the Board and the committees of IBA" and to "sell the IBA Vision, protect and defend the IBA Brand."

IBA is currently fighting for the future of the sport in Olympics after it was left off the initial programme for Los Angeles 2028.

It was stripped of its right to organise the Olympic boxing tournament at the re-arranged Games at Tokyo 2020.

The IBA Congress was a controversial event that led to the IOC stripping it of the right to organise the Olympic boxing tournament at Paris 2024 ©IBA
The IBA Congress was a controversial event that led to the IOC stripping it of the right to organise the Olympic boxing tournament at Paris 2024 ©IBA

Following the controversial IBA election at Istanbul in May, the International Olympic Committee announced that it would also not be allowed to organise the Paris 2024 event.

At the Congress in Turkey’s biggest city, Russia’s Umar Kremlev was re-elected for a full four-year term as IBA President after his only his rival, The Netherlands’ Boris van der Vorst, was declared ineligible on the eve of the event.

The Dutchman appealed against the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and won his case.

The IBA Board of Directors earlier this month announced a second Extraordinary Congress will take place in Yerevan in Armenia to discuss whether to re-stage the election.