The breakaway World Boxing announced four new members last Tuesday (September 12), including a first which has not previously been recognised by the IBA from French Polynesia.

World Boxing claimed its National Federation had approval from the National Olympic Committee and Sports Ministry in French Polynesia, but the IBA recognises its own National Federation on the islands.

OCBC President Tauhiti Nena, who is a member of the IBA Board of Directors, affirmed the Polynesian Boxing Federation remains a member which "wholeheartedly embraces the values of the IBA and actively supports the initiatives of the senior management of the OCBC and the IBA".

Nena is a former President of French Polynesia's Olympic Committee who was forced to step down by the Government in 2017 after a Court of Appeal declared a vote invalid due to the illegal counting of votes.

He questioned the credibility of the French Polynesian Federation which has affiliated to World Boxing.

"The so-called national federation of French Polynesia that has joined the alternative boxing association is an organisation that has never been a member of the OCBC or the IBA," Nena wrote.

"This organization has never taken part in official competitions such as the IBA World Boxing Championships, the OCBC Boxing Championships, the Pacific Games, and the Olympic Games, including their qualification tournaments.

"The Polynesian Boxing Federation, which is a member of the OCBC and the IBA, has consistently represented French Polynesia in these events.

"In simpler terms, the authentic boxing federation from French Polynesia remains affiliated with the IBA, while the sleeping organisation with no activity has aligned itself with the alternative boxing association."

Mongolia, Denmark and Panama joined French Polynesia in the latest World Boxing membership announcement to take its number up to 16 following a "rigorous application process".

They join United States, New Zealand, Australia, GB Boxing, England Boxing, The Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Honduras and Sweden.

However, the IBA disputed the inclusion of Mongolia in the announcement, which World Boxing had claimed as its first Asian member.

"We have been in dialogue with the Mongolian Boxing Federation, and they vehemently deny the claim that they intend to join World Boxing and will resign their IBA membership," an IBA spokesperson told insidethegames.

"One could suspect that this is another case of a non-IBA member organisation pretending to be one to damage the IBA’s reputation."

World Boxing was formed in April, currently led by officials including GB Boxing chief executive Matthew Holt, USA Boxing President Tyson Lee and former IBA Presidential candidate Boris van der Vorst of The Netherlands who were disgruntled at the direction of the IBA under President Umar Kremlev from Russia.

Elections are due to be held at an inaugural Congress in November, but a date is still to be decided.

It wants to secure recognition from the International Olympic Committee and claims to work to "keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic movement".

The IBA became the first International Federation to be expelled from the Olympic movement by the IOC in June due to financial and governance concerns.

These issues pre-dated Kremlev's election as President in December 2020, with the body formerly known as AIBA suspended by the IOC since 2019, but relations between the two bodies deteriorated after his controversial re-election last year.

Despite its expulsion, significant numbers of members have remained loyal to the IBA with its offer of financial support and prize money, although critics claim this is unsustainable.

World Boxing claims it has "a backlog of additional membership applications".