"WBA Denies Russia's Veto And Belarus," But..."

WBA President, Gilberto Mendoza Jr (Instagram @wbaboxingofficial)

JAKARTA - When the war began in Ukraine, the world boxing governing body made several decisions, such as not fighting in Russia, not passing fights involving Russian or Belarusian fighters, and removing fighters from both countries from their ranks.

For the World Boxing Association (WBA), veto rights are over and boxers will be put back on their list.

The WBA revealed that athletes from these countries are not soldiers or have any relations in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, if they declare themselves to support armed conflict, they will be eliminated.

"The World Boxing Association (WBA), through the Championship Committee and the Ranking Committee, issued a statement in which they decided to return to the rankings of fighters from Russia and Belarus," they were quoted as saying Marca Friday. "Athletes from this country are neither soldiers nor part of the government, so they have nothing to do with the war against Ukraine or the ongoing conflict. However, it was determined that any fighter who spoke of supporting war or being involved in it would be removed soon."

Gilberto Mendoza Jr. is the man who heads the WBA, an organization that supports the sport. That's why they made this decision in the hope that boxers from Russia and Belarus will soon be able to fight for the world title.

"For the sake of sports and supporting the careers of these fighters, they will be able to return to the rankings and fight for the WBA title. The decision was taken following extensive considerations from all the members of the two committees in the context of the World Boxing Association (WBA) Convention, which was held last Sunday, December 11 at the Caribbean Royale Hotel, Orlando, Florida."

The World Boxing Association (WBA), through its Championships Committee and Ratings Committee, issued a statement in which it decided to reinstate Russian and Belarusian boxers to their place in the rankings #WBACentennialConvention

— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) December 13, 2022