Court of Arbitration for Sport denies International Boxing Association candidate’s motion to halt presidential election

GENEVA — The Court of Arbitration for Sport refused to halt the International Boxing Association’s delayed presidential election on Friday, a day after the challenger was declared ineligible.

The court dismissed Dutch Boxing Federation president Boris van der Vorst’s request for an urgent decision to block the vote, according to a ruling by The Associated Press.

Van der Vorst was scheduled to face Russian incumbent Umar Kremlev in Istanbul’s elections scheduled for Friday. The Dutch nominee was removed Thursday by an independent review panel after an investigation into complaints involving “prohibited collaboration” with officials running for other IBA positions.

The Kremlin is now expected to be unopposed on Saturday for re-election to a four-year term. His main task will be to keep boxing in the Olympics.

The IBA was stripped of its recognition by the International Olympic Committee ahead of last year’s Tokyo Games, and boxing was dropped from the original sports program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The IOC has long criticized the boxing federation for its leadership, finances and integrity of bouts at championships, including the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Election uncertainty hasn’t helped the IBA win over a skeptical IOC, which is also unhappy about proposals to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The IOC has questioned the financial viability of the IBA, which currently appears to be fully reliant on Russian state-backed energy company Gazprom.

Kremlev was able to run for re-election, although the war in Ukraine barred Russian athletes and teams from international competition and hosting events in most Olympic sports.