Lausanne, Switzerland – On 19 February 2026, the International Boxing Association (IBA) officially introduced IBA Connect, a communication and production platform designed to structure collaboration between creators, athletes and brands. The launch event took place in Moscow with the support of IBA President Umar Kremlev.

The presentation brought together representatives of the sports and media industries, bloggers, entrepreneurs and active athletes. Among the attendees were Olympic champions Evgeny Tishchenko and Egor Mekhontsev as well as newly crowned WBA heavyweight world champion Murat Gassiev.

Platform Overview: Structured Collaboration

IBA Connect is positioned as infrastructure for developing native content and building long-term partnerships grounded in the values of sport and professional responsibility. The platform is designed to facilitate structured cooperation between businesses and creators through strategic production and communication support.

The project operates across influencer development, marketing strategy, IT solutions and content production. It supports micro-, mid-level and large-scale creators, offering individual collaboration models and production resources.

Core Operating Principles

The platform is built around three operational pillars:

• Energy – developing creative potential and directing it toward constructive initiatives.
  
• Strength – providing professional production infrastructure and high-quality execution.
  
• Unity – enabling direct cooperation between businesses and creators based on aligned objectives.
  

Focus on Athletes

A dedicated area of IBA Connect’s work will focus on athletes, including those transitioning from professional competition. The platform aims to support personal brand development, media adaptation and new professional roles within the digital environment.