IBA President a Red Flag for MGC
IBA President Umar Kremlev took over the league in 2020 despite concerns over his ties to the Russian government. He is also involved with the three top online sportsbooks in the country and an industry regulator.
The idea of a league president also having an invested stake in betting sites is a cause for concern. That means Kremlev will have a large financial stake in events he is in charge of. Given boxing’s reliance on judges to score events, this opens the door for suspicions of match-fixing, which Russia has a history of.
Kremlev’s role in the government was the other reason for the MGC’s decision. The regulator states that they would not allow wagers on any events overseen by Russian or Belarusian leadership. With Kremlev at the head of the IBA, it falls into this category.
Olympic Misstep May Have Been Final Straw
Most American bettors were unaware of the IBA until their name took center stage at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The Olympic Boxing Committee cut ties with the IBA before the games began, but the IBA shared that two athletes failed their gender confirmation test after they began. This caused uproar as athletes and fans alike were convinced the two proven female athletes were male.
While the IBA had plenty of reason to want to throw a wrench in an Olympics that did not include Russia, it appears to have been a misstep. The group refused to provide any evidence or details of the tests, but both countries were able to prove that their athletes were female.
Will Other States Follow Suit?
The question now is if other states will follow Massachusetts’ lead. Several sportsbooks do not offer IBA wagers, meaning the offerings could disappear even without official bans in other markets.
The combination of the Olympics and the MGC’s decision has damaged their already tattered reputation among bettors. Boxing, in general, has been a controversial sport to bet on, given the large role played by the judges. Whispers of match-fixing and betting scandals have surrounded the sport for decades, and these scandals just confirm the fears of many bettors.
