Saint Lucian boxing is currently at a crossroads, with administrators of the esteemed combat sport facing tough decisions to keep athletes’ Olympic dreams alive. This situation stems from an ongoing rift between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Boxing Association (IBA).
Last year, the IOC formally withdrew its recognition of the IBA—of which Saint Lucia remains a member—due to concerns over governance, financial mismanagement, and the integrity of refereeing and judging in boxing. The IOC now recognises World Boxing, a rival organisation, as its official partner for Olympic qualification.
Speaking at a recent press conference for the upcoming AMBC Caribbean Boxing Championships, set to take place in Saint Lucia from February 28 to March 2, 2025, the President of the Saint Lucia Boxing Association, David Shakes Christopher acknowledged the challenges facing the sport. He referred to international politics as a “cancer” within boxing but admitted that for Saint Lucia and other Caribbean nations to secure Olympic participation, their associations must align with World Boxing.
“We know that boxing has been suspended by the IOC. We know there are many emerging boxing organisations, such as World Boxing, seeking affiliation with the IOC. We have also seen official letters from the IOC addressing the Caribbean,” he stated.
“We had a meeting last week where all the presidents are now looking for ‘dual citizenship’ with the IBA and we have to make that transition over to World Boxing [in order to] continue to [have] boxing in the Olympics and boxing back under the IOC.”
The ongoing schism between the IBA and World Boxing will be evident at the upcoming championship. This premier tournament will feature top boxers from across the region, including representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana—all of whom remain under the IBA. Meanwhile, seven Caribbean nations—Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, and Suriname—which operate under World Boxing, will not participate in the event.
It remains to be seen if or when Saint Lucia will make the pivotal move that could significantly impact the future of the sport in the country.
above all being said and done we have the ones who are being held accountable but those who are riddle with corruption to the core are saying to us we are corrupted. As much as sports is a pivotal aspect of survival entertainment we often get head ache with the characters who govern the institution