The International Boxing Association has agreed to waive annual membership fees for 2022, subject to approval by the Congress ©IBA

Annual membership fees for National Federations affiliated to the International Boxing Association (IBA) have been waived for the second consecutive year in a move aimed at providing additional support amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The waiving of the dues is subject to approval by the IBA Congress.

In addition, the Congress, held every two years, is set to determine future annual affiliation fees.

With several National Federations facing ongoing financial difficulties in light of the pandemic, IBA President Umar Kremlev explained that the organisation felt it was important to offer assistance.

"Only with strong National Federations (NFs), we will achieve our ambitious objectives," the Russian official insisted.

"Our main task is to support NFs, especially during these challenging times where the pandemic prevents to conduct many sports events.

"We continue to cooperate closely with each National Federation, to follow development programs of boxing in each country and to give an opportunity to popularize our sport all around the world."

A similar move was made last year to offset the impact of COVID-19.

Having been suspended as the sport's Olympic governing body in 2019, the IBA has until 2023 to meet IOC requirements to preserve boxing's place at Los Angeles 2028 ©Getty Images
Having been suspended as the sport's Olympic governing body in 2019, the IBA has until 2023 to meet IOC requirements to preserve boxing's place at Los Angeles 2028 ©Getty Images

The IBA was able to stage its Men's World Championships in Belgrade last year, although the Women's World Championships in Istanbul were pushed back until May this year as the pandemic continued to affect its calendar.

There are 204 National Federations affiliated to the IBA across five continental confederations.

The IBA is facing a race against time to preserve boxing's place on the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028, having been left off the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) "initial programme" - along with modern pentathlon and weightlifting.

A deadline of 2023 has been set for it to "demonstrate it has successfully addressed the ongoing concerns around its governance, financial transparency and sustainability, and integrity of refereeing and judging process".

The IBA - then known under the acronym AIBA - was suspended as the sport's Olympic governing body by the IOC in 2019 because of its financial situation and refereeing, judging and governance concerns.

The boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 was organised by an IOC Boxing Task Force led by International Gymnastics Federation President Morinari Watanabe.

Kremlev was elected as IBA President in 2020, vowing to wipe out the organisation's debts.

Governance reforms as well as a rebrand were approved at last month's Extraordinary Congress.