ASTANA – Gennadiy Golovkin, the president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee, 2004 Olympic silver medallist and two-time middleweight world champion, has been appointed chair of a new Olympic Commission by World Boxing, reported its press service on Sept. 26.
Gennadiy Golovkin. Photo credit: worldboxing.org
As chair of the new commission, Golovkin will work closely with World Boxing’s leadership to manage the organization’s relationship with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and oversee the pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the Los Angeles 2028 Games sports program.
Other commission members will be added in the coming weeks to ensure the commission is diverse and representative of the global boxing community.
The new Olympic Commission will focus on key areas to restore boxing to the Olympic program, including promoting World Boxing, expanding membership and recruitment, ensuring financial sustainability, and supporting the IOC process for recognition of World Boxing.
After a hugely successful boxing career, which saw him win a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the middleweight world title twice in a professional career made up of 42 wins, two losses and a draw, Golovkin was appointed the President of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee in 2024.
In this role, he expects the National Federation for Boxing in Kazakhstan to lead by example as a full member of World Boxing.
“For me personally, as well as for all the sports world, it is important to preserve boxing as an Olympic sport, and this will be my top priority. I also intend to work closely with the IOC on issues of boxing’s commitment to the Olympic values of honesty, fairness and transparency,” said Golovkin on his appointment as chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission.
“I am confident that my experience as a professional athlete will help build systemic work within World Boxing, and through joint efforts we will be able to give boxing a new impetus to its development, but there is still much to be done,” he added.
“Gennadiy is one of the most globally significant boxers of the last decade, and to have him support our cause and use his experience, expertise and profile to work on behalf of World Boxing is a significant boost for our organization,” said president of World Boxing Boris van der Vorst.
“As someone that had a hugely successful career in both Olympic-style and professional boxing, Gennadiy has a deep knowledge of the sport and completely understands why continuing to be part of the Olympic movement is so vital to the ongoing success of boxing at every level, from the grassroots to the professional ranks. Gennadiy will be a huge asset to our organization and I look forward to working closely with him in delivering our mission to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement,” added van der Vorst.
