VAN DER VORST EXITS, OPENS RACE FOR WB LEADERSHIP
The first president of World Boxing will not seek a second term. His tenure, marked by organisational chaos, controversial policies and financial scrutiny, opens the race to three high-profile candidates, including ring legends Golovkin and Klitschko, and administrator Mariolis.
In a letter dated 18 September 2025, Boris Van der Vorst informed the presidents of all the affiliated national federations, citing the relentless demands of leading the breakaway organisation and years of international travel as the reasons for his decision. “My tenure as president has been rewarding and inspiring, but also relentless,” he wrote. Sources indicate that the International Olympic Committee tacitly approved his exit.
Van der Vorst was elected as the first president of World Boxing in 2023, after the breakaway federation was formed when the International Boxing Association lost its IOC recognition amid corruption allegations. His mandate focused on securing boxing’s Olympic future beyond the Paris 2024 Games. Under his leadership, World Boxing expanded to encompass over 120 national federations and obtained provisional recognition from the IOC, thereby ensuring the inclusion of the sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Despite these achievements, Van der Vorst’s tenure has been controversial. In May 2025, World Boxing introduced mandatory sex testing for all competitors, which affected Paris Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif, who was barred from competing unless she underwent such a test. Days later, Van der Vorst publicly apologised for singling her out, acknowledging in a letter to the president of the Algerian Boxing Federation that more could have been done to protect her privacy. Khelif has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
French female boxers were also excluded from the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Liverpool for missing the testing deadline. The French Boxing Federation criticised the policy as unlawful under French law, which prohibits genetic testing without a medical prescription. They also accused Van der Vorst personally of ‘betrayal.
The financial sustainability of the organisation has also been questioned. World Boxing has relied on a $250,000 (€212,000) loan from USA Boxing, with repayment terms extending to 2029. A February 2025 audit described the federation as ‘overleveraged’ based on 2024 operations. Weeks later, the IOC granted provisional recognition, citing multi-year commercial partnerships, including deals with the merchandising and kit supplier Sting, Nike Boxing and Exceed Boxing, a newly formed Dutch events and marketing company. Despite scepticism regarding Exceed Boxing’s limited track record, Van der Vorst defended the deal as being essential to the organisation’s stability.
The November presidential elections will feature three candidates. Gennadiy Golovkin, the president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee and a 2004 Olympic silver medallist and two-time middleweight world champion, is widely seen as the frontrunner. He was appointed president of a new Olympic Commission within World Boxing in September 2024.
Former heavyweight world champion and 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold medallist Wladimir Klitschko is also standing. The Ukrainian retired from boxing in 2017, but has considered making a comeback to the ring in 2025. His candidacy signals his desire to influence the governance of the sport.
The third candidate is Haris Mariolis, president of the Hellenic Boxing Federation. Since July, he has been working to secure support from national federations, prominent sports figures and institutional bodies. He is positioning himself as a managerial alternative to the two legends, emphasising his governance experience and organisational competence.
According to World Boxing’s Election Process and Voting Regulations, all candidates will be evaluated by an independent panel based on publicly available information. The panel comprises three external experts with no prior ties to World Boxing and is supported by Sport Resolutions, a UK-based provider of arbitration and mediation services for sport. The final list of eligible candidates will be published at least 30 days before the vote.
The new president will face several immediate challenges, including restoring confidence among athletes and national federations, ensuring compliance with international sports law, and consolidating World Boxing’s position as the IOC-recognised governing body. They will also oversee preparations for the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while expanding World Boxing’s global reach.
Van der Vorst leaves behind a mixed legacy. Although he secured provisional IOC recognition and expanded World Boxing’s membership, his tenure was defined by disputes over athlete rights, gender testing policies and financial transparency. Critics argue that the federation now needs a leader who can balance commercial interests with ethical governance.
With the countdown to the November elections underway, the boxing world is watching closely. The outcome could determine the future leadership of World Boxing and the direction of Olympic boxing over the next decade.
Courtesy insidethegames.biz
