SA boxing’s quest to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games took a giant step forward at the weekend, with the newly elected SA National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) leadership pledging to accelerate the country’s Olympic return.
The promise follows an annual meeting, which also served as an elective congress held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, where president Siyabulela Mkwalo and secretary-general Liwa Njokweni Mlokoti were re-elected to continue another four-year term.
They were joined by Lwandiso Kwababana as the new vice-president, Chamane Faas as vice-secretary and Keorapetse Mashimo as the treasurer, with Nomakhosazana Shabangu retaining her public relations officer position.
The elections were followed by a council meeting, which took resolutions to strengthen open boxing (formerly amateur) into the future, including facilitating the SA's participation at the Los Angeles Olympics.
SA boxers were dealt a blow when Sanabo refused to ditch its affiliation to the International Boxing Association (IBA) which was stripped of the rights to oversee boxing at the Olympics by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) owing to a slew of defects.
The IOC, instead, granted the newly formed breakaway structure World Boxing (WB) provisional recognition, sparking an exodus of national federations to join the new body led by Dutchman Boris van der Vorst.
So far, WB has garnered 118 members ahead of its first championships scheduled for Liverpool from September 4-14.
Facing increasing pressure from federations wanting to participate in the Olympics, the IBA resolved to grant them dual membership to join WB.
However, WB insisted it would not accept dual membership of federations, dealing a blow to those who wanted to benefit from both structures.
Sanabo, who defended its IBA affiliation on the basis of financial support from the Russian-backed structure, confirmed that it would begin preparations towards Olympic participation.
“Among the resolutions taken by the council meeting following the AGM would be to draft an Olympic qualification strategy focusing on the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane games,” the statement read.
“We will initiate an affiliation process following defined protocols with the new international boxing federation called World Boxing.”
While WB has made significant strides in luring federations as affiliates, it has yet to convince African bodies to follow suit, with just 13 of them having defected.
Mlokoti also unveiled a slew of reforms aimed at ensuring success under the new leadership including cementing relations with Boxing SA — a professional boxing regulator — through the reviewing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU).
The two bodies have previously butted heads over the defection of amateur boxing medal hopefuls to the paid ranks leaving a weakened SA amateur team unable to make a significant impact at international championships, including the Olympics.
The last major medal the SA boxing team achieved was when Duncan Village’s Simnikiwe Bongco and Phiwokuhle Mnguni won bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.
Other resolutions include expanding opportunities for athletes, coaches and officials across communities to organise provincial and national boxing league; design sponsorship proposals to entice the corporate world and empower youth and women to play meaningful roles in boxing.
It also committed to uphold integrity, fairness and accountability by adherence to government policies; improve the database for boxers, coaches and officials in the country and revive commissions with individual excellence of delivering on the mandate.
Mlokoti lauded the event, saying the elections were declared free and fair by the auditors while supported by all the provinces.
Daily Dispatch
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