IBA and ITA celebrate five years of working together against doping. IBA

The partnership was formalised in 2019. In 2022, the cooperation was renewed with expanded responsibilities. New measures have also been implemented. These include in-competition testing and long-term storage of samples. Seminars for officials were also held to further professionalise the work.

In the fight against doping, 2019 saw the start of a partnership between the International Boxing Association (IBA) and the International Testing Agency (ITA). The partnership provided the IBA with an independent regulator for its anti-doping activities. This was extended in 2021 for the calendar year. In 2022, the cooperation agreement was renewed for a further three years with expanded responsibilities.

In that year, In-Competition Testing, Long-Term Sample Storage, Intelligence and Investigations, Source Handling and the operation of the Reveal platform were added. All of this was in addition to existing activities such as Out-of-Competition Testing, intelligence gathering, test distribution planning, education, results management, anti-doping rules handling and therapeutic use exemptions.

Seminars for officials continued to be held with the aim of professionalising their work. Several competitions served as examples. For example, at the 2022 IBA Youth World Championships in La Nucia, Spain, the latest Prohibited List was updated on the rest day of the competition.

In 2022, the agreement between IBA and ITA was renewed. New tasks were added. GETTY IMAGES
In 2022, the agreement between IBA and ITA was renewed. New tasks were added. GETTY IMAGES

More recently, the ITA's presence at the 2023 IBA Junior World Boxing Championships in Yerevan last November served as an educational exercise for the next generation of boxers. Its ambassador from Switzerland, Olympic ice hockey bronze medallist Florence Schelling OLY, was present.

In 2023, the ITA offered the boxing community the "Principles and Values of Clean Sport" webinar. The webinar addressed the physical, mental and financial consequences of doping.

This year, 2024, IBA and ITA organised 5 webinars for administrators, athletes, coaches and medical personnel of the IBA community. It was a great opportunity to learn more and understand how anti-doping works. This included the doping control process, the use of medication and therapeutic use exemptions, and out-of-competition testing.

During these first five years, the relationship and trust between the IBA and the ITA has continued to grow. This is reflected in the agreement signed in 2022. It promises another three years of cooperation and even more delegated testing responsibilities. Chris Roberts OBE, Secretary General and CEO of the IBA, sai, 'We are always striving for transparency within our organisation and the ITA has made a positive contribution to making our sport safe and clean." "There is no place for doping in our sport," concluded Roberts.