The IBA has released a list of "eligible" boxers for this year's European Games, including Russians and Belarussians, even though they are banned from the event ©IBA

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has published a list of "eligible" boxers, including Russians and Belarusians, for this year's European Games in Kraków-Małopolska, even though athletes from that country are banned from the event and the suspended governing body have no involvement in organising the competition. 

The latest development comes after the controversial International Federation earlier this month called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cancel the European Games' status as a qualifier for next month's Olympic Games.

The IBA, which is the only International Federation since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine that allows athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under its own flag, claims the list is to "ensure its ranked athletes have a fair chance to compete at the European Games".

"The IBA fights for a fair chance for every one of its athletes which is a cornerstone of any boxing competition, and we must continue to protect our athletes and National Federation members," IBA secretary general and chief executive George Yerolimpos said.

"We take our duty to do so seriously, as we will not stand to see our athletes efforts and hard-earned competition results ignored."

Dutch Boxing Federation President Boris van der Vorst, an Interim Executive Board member of the newly formed World Boxing and leader of the Common Cause Alliance, has hit back at the decision.

Van der Vorst dismissed the move as a "desperate attempt to sabotage the Olympic Qualification process for Paris 2024".

"The suspended international federation makes another desperate attempt to sabotage the Olympic Qualification process for Paris 2024," he wrote on Twitter.

 "This time they try to dictate who can & who cannot attend Krakow2023 qualifier, while barred from any involvement in it."

The IOC will be running the qualifiers and the boxing competition at Paris 2024, after the IBA was stripped of the rights to do so due to continuing governance concerns under its Russian President Umar Kremlev.

This year's Pan American Games in Santiago, the European Games, Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands and the Asian Games in Hangzhou would be used as continental qualifiers under the IOC's boxing qualification model with two more world qualification tournaments planned for 2024.

Boxing at the 2023 European Games is set to be held from June 23 to July 2, with a break day scheduled for June 29.

"As announced by the IOC in June 2022, the IBA will not be involved in Paris 2024's boxing qualifications and tournament," the IOC told insidethegames when asked about the IBA list published for the 2023 European Games.

"The only valid boxing qualification system for Paris 2024 is the one approved by the IOC EB in September 2022, published and distributed to NOCs and Boxing National Federations on 6 December 2022.

"Following an investigation and report by an IOC Inquiry Committee in 2019, recognition of the International Boxing Association was suspended by the IOC.

"This suspension is still in force today."

Concerns over governance, judging and refereeing and financial stability forced the IOC to withdraw IBA's recognition in June 2019.

An IOC Boxing Task Force conducted the boxing tournament at the delayed 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Boxing has also been left off the initial programme for Los Angeles 2028.

Under Kremlev, relations between the IOC and the governing body have worsened.  

Many National Federations have also spoken out against Kremlev's IBA and has withdrawn from its flagship events.

A total of 11 countries boycotted the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi last month.

The Nowy Targ Arena is set to host boxing competitions at the 2023 European Games from June 23 to July 2 ©Kraków-Małopolska 2023 European Games
The Nowy Targ Arena is set to host boxing competitions at the 2023 European Games from June 23 to July 2 ©Kraków-Małopolska 2023 European Games

Countries including Britain, the United States, Ireland, Czech Republic, Canada, Sweden and New Zealand will also be missing the 2023 IBA Men's World Boxing Championships, scheduled to begin here on Monday (May 1) and go on until May 14.

A rival International Federation called World Boxing was established after the Women's World Championships.

World Boxing aims to secure the sport's future in the Olympic Games.

The body is led by an Interim Executive Board comprised of representatives from Germany, Britain, The Netherlands, the Philippines, Sweden, and the United States.

USA Boxing became the first National Federation terminate its IBA membership on Wednesday (April 26) as it looks to join World Boxing.

The IBA has announced that an official complaint against all involved in the creation of World Boxing has been issued, terming them as a "rogue" organisation.

The full list of athletes considered eligible by the IBA for the 2023 European Games can be viewed here.