Following the announcement by the International Olympic Committee that Boxing has been omitted from the initial sports list 2028 Olympic games in Los Angeles, Sport Northern Ireland has called for key stakeholders to come together in a united front to fight boxing’s corner.
Antoinette McKeown, CEO of Sport NI said, “Today’s announcement that Boxing has been left off the sports list for the 2028 Olympics is of great concern. As well as peak physical fitness, the discipline, confidence and determination boxing instills, provides our young people with huge life skills, often seeing the greatest impact in communities of highest social deprivation.
“From Wayne McCullough, Paddy Barnes, Michael & Jamie Conlon, and our most recent medalist Aidan Walsh, a pantheon of Olympians have inspired our young people for many generations and the Olympic Games is the pinnacle of those hopes and dreams. Without boxing at the Olympics young people are being stripped of the chance to achieve their life ambitions.
“Boxing has always broken down barriers, and in recent years its efforts to see women enter the ring has been hugely encouraging. We have outstanding role models such as Kellie Harrington – Olympic Gold medalist and Michaela Walsh – European, World and Commonwealth medalist, and Katie Taylor, who has gone on to break all records in women’s professional boxing.
“Sport NI will be engaging with Sport Ireland, the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, and both British and Irish Olympic Federations to push for progress at international level and see our young boxers able to showcase their skills in the ring at Los Angeles 2028.
“Today’s announcement is certainly a body-blow, but together we must ensure boxing does not suffer a knock-out.”