John Hewitt has been hired as the IBA's new director of communications and public relations ©IBA

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has appointed John Hewitt as its new director of communications and public relations.

The Canadian joins the IBA after spending more than a decade as the senior event operations manager, communications at global sport business event organisation SportAccord.

At SportAccord, Hewitt served at ten editions of its World Sport and Business Summit, the International Federation Forum, and the inaugural Regional SportAccord Pan America.

"I am thrilled to be joining the IBA at a hugely exciting time for an International Federation that is making enormous strides under the leadership of the current administration," said Hewitt, who is set to be based in Lausanne.

"I am looking forward to ensuring the international sports movement is aware of the IBA's outstanding work across a number of key areas, and continuing its athlete-first approach, which lies at the heart of this respected sport."

At the IBA, Hewitt is tasked with conceiving and executing communications strategies that amplify the body's efforts to support the development of boxing and the sport's athletes worldwide.

He will also work across the IBA's portfolio of events, including the World Boxing Tour, World Boxing Championships, Champions' Night and Global Boxing Forum.

John Hewitt had worked with SportAccord for almost 11 years before being hired by the IBA ©Getty Images
John Hewitt had worked with SportAccord for almost 11 years before being hired by the IBA ©Getty Images

Prior to joining the IBA, Hewitt had also achieved a Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Administration and Technology at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne and the International Academy of Sports Science and Technology.

The IBA is currently battling to save boxing's place at the Olympic Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has left boxing, under the IBA's authority, off the sporting programme for Los Angeles 2028 due to "grave governance issues".

It alleged that the IBA had "no real interest in the sport of boxing and the boxers, but is only interested in its own power."

The IOC, who suspended IBA in 2019, are currently due to oversee the boxing tournament at Paris 2024, having also organised the event at Tokyo 2020.

SportAccord is set to undergo "key structural changes" following the dissolution of the Global Association of International Sports Federation (GAISF).

The Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) and Alliance of Independent Recognised Members of Sport (AIMS) are to become members of SportAccord, along with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF) as part of the restructure.