The under-fire International Boxing Association has offered to fund Irish boxers wanting to compete in this year's World Championships after the Irish Athletic Boxing Association voted to boycott the upcoming men's and women's events in India and Uzbekistan.

IABA referees and judges will also not officiate at either tournament.

Irish amateur boxing's governing body took the decision at a joint meeting of its board of directors and central council in Dublin on Thursday night, where council members voted 15-5 not to send teams in a mark of protest against alleged corruption in the IBA.

In a statement issued on Friday, the IABA stated that current IBA practices and activities are not serving the sport well, while adding that its athletes are now focused on preparations for the European Games in June, and winning qualification to Paris 2024.

"Irish Athletic Boxing Association athletes will not take part in the IBA Women's World Championships in India in March, or the IBA Men’s World Championships in Uzbekistan in May," the IABA declared.

"IABA referees and judges will not officiate at either tournament.

"The decision was taken on Thursday night, following a joint meeting of the IABA’s board of directors, central council and unit representatives.

"The IABA urges the IBA to engage in governance reform and implement the recommendations of its own experts on fiscal responsibility, fair play, and inclusion. IBA practices and activities are not of the standard required to secure our sport’s future."

The IBA, which has extended the offer of financial aid to US boxers also due to boycott the World Championships, has come out swinging and warned that it would pursue "strong sanctions against those who initiate and join the participation boycott".

"Those who are doing this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals"

IBA's Russian president Umar Kremlev called for a purge of "hyenas and jackals" and said no administrators or politicians were entitled to "deprive" athletes of their dreams of becoming world champions.

"Boxers dedicate their whole life to the sport, while administrators and politicians come and go," he told an international event in Marrakesh, Morocco.

"Those who are doing this to our athletes are worse than hyenas and jackals, they violate the integrity of sport and culture.

"I urge all my colleagues to clear their organisations of such hyenas."

The IBA was stripped of involvement in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and boxing is not on the initial programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, pending reforms demanded by the International Olympic Committee.

In December, the IOC raised the possibility of boxing being excluded from the 2024 Paris Games, accusing the IBA of having "no real interest" in the sport or its athletes.

Qualifying for Paris is being organised by the IOC.

The IBA, backed by Russian energy firm Gazprom, has since October reversed bans on boxers from Russia and Belarus competing with national flags and anthems despite the war in Ukraine.

It says it has been implementing reforms and cultivating a new culture in a sport whose past has been soiled by corruption and controversy.

"IBA invites USA and Irish teams to come to the world championships and participate under their flags and anthems," it said.

"IBA will cover all necessary expenses from the funds of the FSP (Financial Support Programme)."