South African boxers received a hefty boost to their Olympic aspirations at the weekend after the SA National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) finally joined the World Boxing (WB) body.
The crucial move makes SA boxers eligible to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, if they secure a berth during qualifying tournaments lined up over the coming months.
Sanabo, which administers amateur (now called “open”) boxing in SA, is one of the latest federations to cross over to WB, along with Cameroon and Gabon, following months of delay, drawing serious concerns from certain circles in the sport.
Sanabo says it will finalise details of its affiliation to WB at its June 2026 congress.
A slew of African countries have defected from the International Boxing Association (IBA) since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave WB provisional recognition to oversee boxing in February 2025.
The IOC’s decision was arrived at after the IBA was suspended and stripped of recognition, by the IOC, in 2023 due to unresolved issues regarding governance, financial dependence on Russian energy giant Gazprom, and ethics
Even though suspended, the IBA resolved to grant its affiliates permission to assume dual membership with the WB.
Sanabo, which has been criticised for its loyalty to the IBA, and stymying access to the Olympics for SA boxers, confirmed it had taken a decision to enjoy dual membership with WB.
Sanabo vice-president Lwandiso Kwababana said the crossover was necessitated by the decision to align with an IOC-endorsed body to ensure SA boxers realised their Olympic dream. “Essentially, participation of our boxers at the Olympics and other multi-coded sports competitions requires affiliation to an IOC-recognised body. Our paramount consideration was for our boxers to realise their Olympic dreams.”
Kwababana defended Sanabo’s loyalty to the IBA, saying the decision to take dual membership was taken at the body’s council meeting to retain membership with the Russian-led structure.
Sanabo became the 19th African federation to join WB, which has already entrenched its footprint on the continent with the establishment of committees, including a coaching commission to which the Eastern-Cape’s Andile Mofu has recently been added as a member.
Kwababana said Sanabo was strategically positioned to ensure SA boxers, coaches and officials benefitted from available programmes offered by WB and IBA. “The dual membership we took is geared towards maximising opportunities for our boxing to benefit from both bodies.”
Historically, SA boxers have benefitted from the IBA, with the body providing travelling, accommodation and meal costs to compete at its lucrative championships.
Thanks to this arrangement, Ayabonga Meko who won a gold medal and lucrative prizes at the EuroAsian Dauria Cup championships in Russia in September 2025.
SA has not sent boxers to the Olympics since 2012, when Duncan Village’s Ayabonga Sonjica and Simpiwe Lusizi of Mdantsane blazed a trail at the London Games.
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