WBC says IBA infringing on belt design

WBC Statement: The World Boxing Council has learned that the International Boxing Association (IBA) recently: (1) organized, advertised, and publicized an event called IBA’s Champion Night; and (2) awarded a boxing belt in connection therewith confusingly similar to the WBC Championship Belt. In short, IBA is using the Intellectual Property Assets of the WBC in an infringing manner and without authorization of the WBC as the assets’ rightful owner. (See side-to-side images of IBA’s infringing belt and the WBC famous World Championship Belt).

The WBC wants to make it absolutely clear that it has put IBA on notice of the WBC’s complete rejection and opposition to IBA’s unauthorized use of a belt that is confusingly similar to the iconic WBC World Championship Belt. The WBC has also informed IBA and it will take any legal measures available to stop IBA’s infringing activities and to seek appropriate redress therefrom. The WBC is in no way associated with IBA.

In its recent Annual Convention, the WBC ratified its positions: (1) not to allow any WBC activity in Russian or Belarus’ territories; (2) not to recognize any boxers from those countries as holding any WBC privilege (championship, mandatory positions, etc.); and (3) to take all boxers from those two countries out of the WBC Ratings. In the meantime, IBA continues to allow competition in those two countries, as well as, national for those countries competing in IBA`s tournaments. The WBC rejects and denounces IBA’s activities therein.

The WBC has declared publicly its support of the International Olympic Committee’s justified concerns about the lack of leadership and scandals in which AIBA (IBA’s predecessor) and now IBA have been involved in recent years. Consistent with the position the entire world boxing community has taken, the WBC fully supports the continuation of boxing competition in the Olympic Games.

The WBC would also like to publicly declare its denunciation of IBA’s charter and mission to mix professional and amateur boxing. IBA’s policies in that regard are dangerous because they foster dangerous fights between athletes that range on levels of competition that endanger the health and safety of participants. There is absolutely no criteria in regards to the levels of competition. Consequently, IBA’s approach has created a huge disadvantage to the majority of the amateur boxing programs throughout the world.

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