Tony Yoka, the French Olympic gold medalist in boxing from Rio de Janeiro in 2016, has announced a change in his sporting nationality. The 33-year-old boxer, who has represented France until now, will henceforth compete under the flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo – his father's country of origin. The athlete's goal is to win a medal at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Decision to Change Nationality

French Olympic boxing champion Tony Yoka has officially announced a change in his sporting national affiliation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Goal: Olympic Medal for the DRC

The athlete clearly defined his goal: winning the first Olympic medal in history for the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the 2028 LA Games.

Personal and Symbolic Motivation

Yoka's decision, guided by the motto "Faire rayonner la République démocratique du Congo" (To make the Democratic Republic of the Congo shine), has an emotional basis and is linked to his father's origins.

Tony Yoka, the French Olympic gold medalist in the super heavyweight (+91 kg) division from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, has decided to change his sporting nationality. The 33-year-old athlete announced that he will now represent the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He explained that he is motivated by personal and symbolic reasons, wanting to "shine a light on the Democratic Republic of the Congo," his father's country of origin. The change of sporting nationality by decorated athletes is not an entirely new phenomenon. In the past, even before stricter regulations were introduced by the IOC, there were cases of athletes competing for different countries. The current process is more formalized and requires obtaining a license from the new federation and often meeting specific criteria, such as citizenship or strong ties to the country. The athlete's main goal now is to win a medal at the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This achievement would have historical significance, as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite its rich sporting traditions, has never won an Olympic medal. Yoka simultaneously emphasized that he still holds affection for France. This change pertains solely to sporting representation and is possible thanks to obtaining a license from the Congolese boxing federation.

Mentioned People

  • Tony Yoka — French boxer, Olympic gold medalist from Rio 2016, who changed his sporting nationality to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.