insidethegames has obtained a letter issued by Klemenko to all National Federations outlining his worries following the staging of the event in Budva.

Known as the "Adriatic Pearl", the event ran from March 13 to 20 and 176 boxers from 23 countries took part.

Russia, who sent the largest team, topped the medal table with 14 gold medals in the Montenegrin town.

Klemenko, a Board member for the European Boxing Confederation, claimed that the presence of Russian boxers resulted in several national governing bodies withdrawing.

Others, he claimed, wanted "nothing to do with the planned IBA events".

The Montenegrin official warned the boycotts were among "a number of unexpected far-fetched problems" which, he admitted, was a "rather alarming trend" after alleging that his organisation had received threats from the IBA

"With, of course, the general interest in the participate of their athletes in one of the strongest and most representative youth tournaments in the world," Klemenko wrote.

"Some National Federations, however, have declared that they will not be able to take part if athletes from Russia or Belarus participate in the tournament.

"Several other National Federations asked us to confirm that this tournament is organised exclusively by the Boxing Association of Montenegro and has nothing to do with the planned IBA events.

"In turn, the IBA secretary general, Mr Georgiy (sic) Erolympos, citing other circumstances, tried to cancel our tournament altogether, and also, threatening the Boxing Association of Montenegro with various disciplinary proceedings and lawsuits, announced a complete ban on the use of the IBA logo when organising and holding this competition.

"Of course, such a ridiculous combination of illogical, non-constructive and, in part, mutually exclusive requirements cannot but cause our serious concern about the current state of amateur boxing."

Boxing faces a battle to save its place at the Olympic Games after being left off the initial list for Los Angeles 2028.

Concerns over governance, financial transparency and sustainability, and the integrity of its refereeing and judging processes resulted in the IBA being stripped of its International Olympic Committee recognition in 2019.

Russian and Belarusian boxers had been barred until the IBA controversially lifted restrictions last October in contrary to recommendations from the IOC.

The decision led to 11 national governing bodies to refuse to send athletes to the Women’s World Championships which is currently being held here, while some of those have also shunned the Men’s World Championships, due to take place in Tashkent in Uzbekistan in May.

Klemenko claimed that he felt he was witnessing an "absolutely opposite" of non-discrimination and a "destructive development of events" in the Olympic boxing world.

"Without delving into the details of the true motivation of the actions of some IBA functionaries and National Federations, who, absolutely contrary to common sense, the interests of their athletes and the basic fundamental Olympic principles, selectively, often, at their own discretion, or under any other pressure, boycott various international competitions, I want to express my serious concern for the future fate and development of the Olympic boxing," added Klemenko.

"Such a tendency to manifest itself, using the example of a boycott of our tournament, brings discord, on a national and ethnic basis, between underage athletes from different countries of the world, artificially incites ethnic strife and hostility, among the young, even of the unformed generation, negatively affects various psychological aspects of the development of understanding and consciousness of adolescents.

"By restricting their own athletes from participating in one of the world's strongest tournaments, National Federations are depriving them of the opportunity for sports improvement, acquiring new acquaintances and friends, learning all that good and eternal that the Olympic Charter declares to us."

Klemenko stressed that it was athletes’ "legal and honourable right" to compete under their national flag and with their anthem.

"If our true goal is to end military conflicts and achieve peace, then we must certainly do our part by building relationships between the parties of the conflict, and not vice versa," added Klemenko.

"At the same time, sport should remain our unifying force, and we, as sports functionaries, despite all our possible disputes and disagreements, are simply obliged to promote, namely, peace and friendship between all athletes and people, which in fact is our main mission."

insidethegames has contacted the IBA for comment.