LOS ANGELES — The International Boxing Federation will punish boxers who compete in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics by removing them from the sanctioning body’s rankings or vacating their titles.
The IBF announced its decision Monday.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) recently decided to allow professional boxers to attempt to qualify for the Olympics, but no major fighters have accepted the invitation.
The IBF has joined other sanctioning bodies, fighters and trainers in strongly condemning the plan, citing serious health risks in pitting seasoned pros against amateurs.
The IBF says it will remove any Olympic fighters from its rankings for a year. It would also take its title belt away from a champion fighting in the Olympics.
The WBC already has announced its intention to impose a two-year ban on Olympic fighters.
Although Olympic qualifying continues next month, the likelihood of any prominent pros fighting in Rio appears to be slim. Most major boxers have already decided not to attempt it, including Manny Pacquiao, Wladimir Klitschko, Sergey Kovalev, Gennady Golovkin, Andre Ward and two-time gold medalists Vasyl Lomachenko and Zou Shiming.
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