Umar Kremlev called for an IOC-IBA working group to be formed in order to address governance concerns ©IBA

International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev has claimed that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has "no right to dictate to us how to live".

It comes after the IOC Executive Board stated it would not be able to recommend the inclusion of boxing at Los Angeles 2028 under the IBA's authority.

President Thomas Bach has also made clear that the IOC's issue is with the IBA rather than the sport of boxing.

An IOC Boxing Task Force oversaw the sport at Tokyo 2020 and is due to do the same at Paris 2024.

"They have no right to dictate to us how to live," Kremlev said at his organisation's Global Boxing Forum in Abu Dhabi.

"No other organisation should interfere or meddle in the business of our association.

"The International Boxing Association, we are independent.

"Don't dictate things to us, don't tell us how to live."

Despite the IOC's lengthy concerns over IBA governance, financial transparency and the integrity of its refereeing and judging processes, Kremlev remains optimistic for the IBA's Olympic credentials.

"I am confident that in the near future they [the IOC] will make the correct decision," said Kremlev.

Umar Kremlev stated that the IOC has no right to dictate how the IBA operates ©IBA
Umar Kremlev stated that the IOC has no right to dictate how the IBA operates ©IBA

"The unclear accusations will simply cease and these are the same accusations that never change, they are always the same.

"I think it's only PR for the mass media, that's it, there are no facts.

"We have sent them a letter with a request asking for what exactly they don't like.

"We need to deal with these statements and declarations, let's meet!

"Let's create a group, we are open.

"Tell us who to work with and we will work with them and everything will be corrected together."

The IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA, then known as AIBA, in 2019.

Boxing is not on the provisional programme for Los Angeles 2028, but there is what the IOC has termed a "pathway" for its reinstatement.

IOC President Thomas Bach earlier this week expressed concern over the IBA's governance, financial transparency and the integrity of its refereeing and judging processes ©Getty Images
IOC President Thomas Bach earlier this week expressed concern over the IBA's governance, financial transparency and the integrity of its refereeing and judging processes ©Getty Images

Kremlev went on to take a subtle swipe at Bach and the IOC's decision to publicly criticise the IBA instead of coming to him directly.

"I would like to urge the International Olympic Committee to create a working party," Kremlev said.

"We will resolve everything quite quickly, there will be no problems.

"We don't need any declarations or statements in the mass media, we can meet here at this platform and give an answer to each question in front of the entire sporting community.

"We are not hiding anything from anyone, we are not a closed organisation we are an open organisation.

"Together we will move forward and boxing will be represented at the Olympics and we will be defending that together, I have no doubt about that.

"I really don’t think that anyone would dare to violate this wonderful sport."

Boxing has been contested at every edition of the Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the programme in St Louis in 1904 except for Stockholm 1912, because Swedish law banned the sport at the time.