World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst has vowed to use modern technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), to make boxing’s scoring system more transparent and fair. He said the move will be in effect until his organisation receives official recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The current boxing scoring system is often accused of complexity, controversy and bias. Many boxers have faced poor decisions during their time in the sport and feel cheated. Despite several changes in the last decade, the scoring process remains opaque.
Controversy increased due to Nishant Dev’s defeat
Recently, India’s Nishant Dev lost in the men’s 71 kg quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics, despite performing brilliantly in the match. There was a lot of debate and outrage after this decision. Boris van der Vorst said in an exclusive interview to PTI, “We are working towards making scoring transparent by using modern technology like AI. Very interesting projects are underway to make scoring more fair. We have to restore trust and in this direction we are using modern technology.”
Clash with IBA and fight for support
Dutchman Van der Vorst, who was elected head of World Boxing last November, hopes that his organisation will get recognition from the IOC by the end of this year. At the recent Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Congress, 14 Asian countries supported World Boxing while 21 decided to stay with the IBA. “Some Asian associations have voted against us, but many associations have joined us individually, including India. We need at least 50 national associations to be able to keep our place in the Summer Olympics, but we want more than that. We want global representation and diversity,” Van der Vorst said.
Boxing’s future at Olympics under threat
Van der Vorst warned that boxing’s future at the Olympics was at risk. He said that if World Boxing did not sort out its organisation soon, the sport could be excluded from the Los Angeles Olympics 2028. “The IOC has made it clear that they will not organise boxing for the third time in a row. If we are to include boxing in the LA Olympics, we need an international organisation that cares about the sport,” he said.
According to the World Boxing website, they currently have 42 member associations, while Van der Vorst said 45 associations have been approved. They hope to soon have the support of 50 associations, with Asian countries making a significant contribution.
“It is our responsibility to keep the Olympic dream alive”
“The Olympics is the biggest dream of life for any athlete. We have to keep the Olympic dream of boxers alive. It is a privilege for us to be part of the Olympics, and to participate in multi-sport events like the Asian Games. Everything is at stake,” Van der Vorst said.
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