IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2023: Russian, Belarussian boxers welcomed under their flag

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New Delhi, Mar 15: India on Wednesday became the first country to welcome Russian athletes under their flag in the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships 2023, which began here on the day.

The biggest boxing tournament, which sees the participation of 330 boxers from 74 countries, was on Wednesday declared open by International Boxing Federation (IBA) President Umar Kremlev at the glittering opening ceremony at Indira Gandhi Sports Complex.

India welcomed not just Russians but Belarusian pugilists as well as the nations were allowed to carry their flags. The national anthems of both these countries will be played should their boxers top the podium at the World Championships.

The decision over allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes under their flag was taken by the IBA prior to the tournament with Kremlev, a Russian, as its head.
The IBA's stance favouring Russians comes amid the suspension of the apex boxing body by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Ukraine, Britain and USA already boycotted IBA Women's World Boxing Championships

Several big countries -- including the USA, Great Britain Canada and Ukraine -- have boycotted the tournament in New Delhi to mark their protest due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Other European countries such as Switzerland and Netherlands have also pulled out. However, the Dutch boxers will compete under the IBA flag.

Earlier, when Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president, Ajay Singh, was asked about the participation of Russian athletes under their flag during the pre-event press conference, he said, "We run a sport. We are not concerned with the politics behind a sport. We want to give opportunity to sports people to be part of sports and these issues are best left to governments to deal with. We are hosting a championship the principal to which is the IBA. We will go by what they say and what government of India says."

Notably, two of Union cabinet ministers Anurag Thakur and Sarbananda Sonowal were present at the opening ceremony of the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships.

Russian Squad for Women's World Boxing Championships 2023: Ekaterina Paltseva, Lyudmila Vorontsova, Karina Tazabekova, Anna Aedma, Nadezhda Golubeva, Natalia Sychugova, Azaliya Amineva, Anastasia Demurchyan, Anastasia Shamonova, Saltanat Medenova and Diana Pyatak.