Italy has selected a 10-strong training squad for the Women's World Boxing Championships which includes Irma Testa.
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The Italian Boxing Federation (FPI) has announced that it will not participate in the boycott of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Championships, which are scheduled to be held from March 14 to 26 in New Delhi, India. FPI President Flavio D’Ambrosi claimed that he had not received instructions from the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) to pull out of the event. Italy has selected a 10-strong training squad, which includes Irma Testa, who won a bronze medal in the featherweight category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Testa has already faced Russian opposition, having lost to Ludmila Vorontsova at last month’s IBA World Boxing Tour Golden Series event in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Eleven countries have announced their withdrawal from the Women’s World Championships due to the presence of Russian and Belarusian boxers. These countries include the United States, Ukraine, Poland, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Canada, and Norway, which joined the boycott yesterday. Many of these nations have also decided to boycott the Men’s World Championships, which are scheduled to take place from May 1 to 14 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Read more: World Boxing Championships 2023: United States men’s and women’s teams withdraw from the competition
The IBA, which is headed by Russian official Umar Kremlev, lifted a ban on pugilists from Russia and Belarus competing under their own flag in October 2022, despite the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) recommendations to the contrary because of the war in Ukraine. Italy’s training camp is set to be held from tomorrow until March 12, during which the team will be selected for the Women’s World Championships. The Italian team features Roberta Bonatti, Giordana Sorrentin, Sirine Chaarabi, Olena Savchuk, Alessia Mesiano, Rebecca Nicoli, Assunta Canfora, Angela Carini, and Melissa Gemini.
The boycott of the Women’s World Championships has been controversial, with some arguing that it unfairly punishes athletes who have trained hard for the event. Others argue that the presence of Russian and Belarusian boxers violates the principles of fair play and anti-doping. The IOC has been vocal in its opposition to the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports events, citing their countries’ poor records on anti-doping and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The IBA has defended its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian boxers to compete, arguing that they have been subject to rigorous anti-doping measures and that they have a right to participate in international sports events. The organization has also announced plans to launch its own anti-doping agency, which it claims will be independent and transparent. Despite the controversy surrounding the event, it appears that the Women’s World Championships will go ahead as planned, with a number of countries, including Italy, choosing to participate. It remains to be seen whether the boycott will have any lasting impact on the sport of boxing or on the IBA’s future plans.
Read more: Indian Team announced for IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2023
