22-05-2025
'Watershed moment' as IABA joins World Boxing and secures Olympic future
THE IRISH ATHLETIC Boxing Association [IABA] has officially joined World Boxing, securing its Olympic future.
World Boxing's executive board today approved the applications of 17 national federations, bringing its membership to 106.
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'This is a watershed moment for Irish Boxing, following the resounding 'yes' of member clubs to safeguarding our Olympic future at our EGM in April,' said Niall O'Carroll, Chair of IABA's Board of Directors.
'Every kid in every boxing club in the Association deserves the Olympic dream – and their clubs have made sure that dream can live on, to LA 2028 and beyond.'
Ireland has won 19 Olympic boxing medals, stretching back to its first involvement at Paris 1923, making it the country's most successful Olympic sport.
O'Carroll named Kellie Harrington, Katie Taylor and Michael Carruth as 'the best of us' but stressed there are 'more Olympic podiums to climb, more medals to win — and our joining of World Boxing today ensures that'.
While the various stakeholders involved were thanked in an IABA press release, President Anto Donnelly added: 'This is a red letter day for the Irish Boxing family, and all the more important because our membership of World Boxing was the express will and wish of IABA's clubs.
'It's vital that we move forward, together. Our joining of World Boxing today represents the unity of Irish boxing, but also the value we place on our Olympic heritage and our Olympic future.
'No club knows when the Olympic medalists of the future will walk through their doors – and its in support of that possibility, in support of that dream, that we have such a comprehensive volunteer-led underage training and competition programmes at local, regional, national and international levels. With World Boxing, we can continue to strive to build on our standing as Ireland's most successful Olympic sport.'
