Road to Tokyo: Update on Boxing Qualification System

Update provided by the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force | Following the joint decision by the IOC, Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and the Japanese Government to reschedule the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to start on 23 July 2021, and the receipt of the revised principles for the Tokyo 2020 Qualification Systems from the IOC, the IOC Boxing Task Force (BTF) focused on finalizing the necessary adaptations to the current Tokyo 2020 Qualification System for boxing: find the full Updated Qualification System HERE

The existing results and the Olympic quota places earned and allocated thus far in the Continental Olympic Qualifiers for boxing (including the first three days of the European Olympic Qualifier in London) remain valid for the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The primary objective of this updated version of the Tokyo 2020 Qualification System for boxing is to provide guidelines and clarity on the qualification pathway for the rescheduled Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. An updated version will follow once specific dates and locations are confirmed for the remaining Qualifying Events. 

The amendments of the updated Tokyo 2020 Qualification System for boxing have been made in consultation with BTF Athlete Ambassadors (non-competing) and medical experts and can be summarized as follows: 

Age requirements 

As per the previous version of the Tokyo 2020 Qualification System eligible boxers had to be born between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 2001, a window that set a specific age range (at least 19 and maximum 40) in order to compete in the qualification events and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. 2/2 

Upper age limit 

In accordance with the principle that athletes who have previously qualified for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will retain that qualification, the revised Tokyo 2020 Qualification System extends the upper age limit eligibility to ensure that all athletes who are eligible in 2020 will remain eligible to compete at the qualification events and Olympic Games in 2021. Therefore, the BTF, with the approval of our medical experts, agreed to increase the upper age limit by one year (to age 41) so that boxers born in 1980 will be eligible to compete in 2021. 

Lower age limit 

In consultation with its Athlete Ambassadors and experts, the BTF decided to confirm the same lower age limit criteria set by previous rules, meaning that all athletes competing in any event taking place in 2021 must be at least 19 years old in the year of the event. Therefore, all boxers must be born by 31 December 2002 in order to compete in the remaining Olympic Qualification Events and Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, all of which will take place in 2021. 

New dates for the remaining qualifying events 

To ensure that athletes will be able to properly prepare for the remaining qualification events, while still recognizing the ongoing effects of COVID-19, the BTF has established the following timeline for the remaining qualifying events: 

  • • European Olympic Qualifier (continuation from the day it was suspended): FEB – MAR 2021 
  • • Americas Olympic Qualifier: FEB – MAR 2021 
  • • Final World Olympic Qualifier: MAY – JUN 2021 

The exact dates and locations cannot yet be confirmed but will follow at a later date as the impact of the COVID-19 continues to evolve. The dates and locations of the remaining qualification events will be communicated with at least 3 months advance notice, in order to guarantee the boxers an adequate preparation period. 

 

 

Posted on: May 26, 2020