Breakaway group aims to save boxing’s Olympic status

LONDON — American and British boxing officials are among the leaders of a breakaway group launched Thursday with the aim of saving boxing’s place at the Olympics. “Amateur, Olympic-style boxing was facing elimination from the Olympic Games,” said USA Boxing president Tyson Lee, who is on the interim board of the new organization. Kremlev said officials who backed a boycott were “worse than hyenas and jackals.” World Boxing interim secretary general Simon Toulson said the new organization was operating with a budget of 900,000 euros this year, without naming any specific funding sources. The IOC told The Associated Press in a statement that it “takes note of the latest developments.” The World Boxing board also includes Dutch official Boris van der Vorst, who challenged Kremlev for the IBA presidency last year but was barred from the vote for “prohibited collaboration” in his campaign. In response, IBA secretary general and chief executive George Yerolimpos said “rogue world governing bodies and orchestrated coups are nothing new to sport, and like any well-governed organization, there are mechanisms put in place to protect the organization, its members, and in the end, the athletes.” Yerolimpos said in the IBA’s statement that participants in the new group could face IBA sanctions.