The Olympic future of Irish boxing is officially secured following confirmation that the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) has joined World Boxing, the newly established international governing body dedicated to keeping boxing within the Olympic movement.
The IABA is among 17 national federations newly approved by World Boxing’s Executive Board, bringing the total number of member countries to 106.
Other federations joining include global boxing heavyweights such as Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, and Venezuela.
The IABA’s move to World Boxing follows a resounding vote by its clubs at an Extraordinary General Meeting in April. The ballot saw strong support from grassroots clubs across Ireland, with the aim of securing Olympic participation for Irish boxers at future Games, including Los Angeles 2028.
Niall O’Carroll, Chair of the IABA’s Board of Directors, described the decision as a pivotal moment in the sport’s history.
“This is a watershed moment for Irish boxing,” he said. “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 first sent a team of nine boxers to the 1924 Paris Olympics. Since then, boxing has delivered 19 medals for Team Ireland, more than any other sport. Olympic icons like Michael Carruth, Katie Taylor and Kellie Harrington have become household names and symbols of Irish sporting excellence.
“Those three are the best of us,” he added, “but we have more podiums to climb, and more medals to win. Our joining of World Boxing today ensures that.”
The decision to join World Boxing comes after a period of uncertainty for the sport’s Olympic future. In recent years, concerns over governance and transparency led the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to withdraw recognition of the previous international boxing body. World Boxing was founded in 2023 to restore credibility and secure boxing’s place at the Games.
Since then, the organisation has grown rapidly—from six founding members in August 2023 to more than 100 today. It now operates across four continents with confederation structures and international competition calendars for all age groups.
IABA President Anto Donnelly called it a “red letter day for the Irish boxing family,” praising the unity shown by clubs across the country.
“Our membership of World Boxing was the express will and wish of the IABA’s clubs,” Donnelly said. “No club knows when the Olympic medallists of the future will walk through their doors. Joining World Boxing is about supporting that possibility, and that dream.”
Boris van der Vorst, President of World Boxing, welcomed Ireland’s membership and spoke of this being a milestone moment for the global body.
“To have surpassed 100 National Federations in just over two years is a massive achievement,” he said. “It speaks to the shared commitment to ensuring that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”
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