Former fighter and now boxing analyst, Paulie Malignaggi, gave a short speech during the Centennial Convention of the World Boxing Association (WBA), in which he made a plea for the participation of Russian fighters in the sport and gave his point of view on the situation. 

In that same scenario, the pioneering organization decided to return their ranking position to fighters from this country and allow them to participate in championship fights or any bout sanctioned by the entity, as long as they do not speak out in favor of the war or directly support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“Rachell Donaire and Nonito Donaire have a point that they expressed to me about Russian fighters. We have seen that they are listed in the rankings with the label “No War” but they are athletes, they are not government officials nor are they in the war,” Malignaggi said in his remarks.

The Italian-born American stressed that boxing is a sport of opportunities and that those opportunities are being lost for the Russians for reasons that have nothing to do with them, which is why he advocated for their reinstatement in the ranking lists and permission for them to continue their careers normally.

The WBA, after internal and external proposals, decided to make a comprehensive analysis of the situation in recent months and after recent deliberations, decided to allow the Russians and Belarusians to return to fight for their belts.

Sport is union and opportunities, which cannot be denied to athletes who have worked hard to get where they are and who have never been involved in a war conflict or supported any action of this kind.