◾The WB affiliated African Boxing’s Secretary-General Cyprien Tamo had warned their affiliates of dire consequences if they participate in events organised by other bodies but a meeting of IBA Africa and African Boxing presidents quelled the friction
August 7, 2026
African Boxing has officially stated they have no restrictions on their affiliated national federation’s boxers and national teams competing in events organized by other boxing bodies such as the influential IBA – International Boxing Association following an Executive Board meeting on August 6, 2026.
The African Boxing said affiliated federations face no penalties or bans for participating in cross-organizational tournaments.
In a circular to all national federations, the African Boxing body stated their position is in line with their commitment to ensure athlete development and exposure.
The circular read: “Following consultations with World Boxing, and in line with the decision taken by the Executive Board of African Boxing during its meeting held on 6 August 2026, we wish to inform all affiliated National Federations that there are currently no restrictions on national teams or athletes participating in events organized by other boxing organizations.
“This position reflects African Boxing’s commitment to ensuring athlete development, competitive exposure, and the continued growth of boxing across the continent.”
The breakthrough decision was reached during an Executive Board meeting chaired by the President Solomon Kargbo.
In an official circular dispatched to all national federation Presidents and Secretary Generals, the body confirmed there are now “no restrictions” blocking national teams or athletes from competing in rival IBA Africa Championships.
The Secretary-General of the African Boxing, Cyprien Tamo, had sometime back sent a post to Whatsapp forums warning their affiliates of dire consequences if they participate in events organised under the auspices of IBA, reputed to be the mother and father of amateur boxing in the world having been formed in 1946.
A cross-section of boxers fiercely protested restrictive dual-loyalty rules, arguing it’s pointless for the African Boxing body to issue the restrictions yet they have not organised a single tournament since their formation. They argued that with competitive tournaments already scarce in Africa, stripping them of opportunities to compete was actively damaging their careers.
The announcement by the African Boxing setting free their affiliates now paves way for reigning African Games champions Nigeria and other staunch WB loyal bodies to take part in the prestigious IBA Africa Elite Men’s and Women’s Africa Boxing Championships scheduled for October 18-31 in Kinshasa, DR Congo. Algeria too should be in Kinshasa instead of denying their boxers their right of association.
*”Comedians” left with egg on face*
The African Boxing’s announcement delivers a knockout blow to vocal WB Africa loyalists often jokingly referred to as comedians because of their hollow and comical debates on social media forums. They have been aggressively campaigning for a total boycott of IBA Africa events without explaining how they will benefit from such a self-destructive action.
Insiders report that these boxing actors – mostly vocal on Whatsapp forums – have been forced to eat humble pie following the latest development by the African Boxing whose President Solomon Kargbo and Vice-President Omonlei Yakubu Imadu are highly respected in Africa’s boxing community.
Some of the comedians are still smarting from IBA’s sucker punch that KO’d the defunct Africa Boxing Confederation (AFBC) rendering them destitute for sometime until they were accommodated in the African Boxing under whose roof they have been spewing their vitriol on IBA which has however treated their remarks with the contempt they deserve, viewing them as mere opportunists and noisemakers without any clout in African boxing other than barking endlessly in their social media forums.
IBA is well aware that barking dogs seldom bite.
