Boxing was not part of the programme for LA 2028 when the schedule was first announced in 2022, the IOC having encouraged the sport’s national federations to form a new global body.
The IOC said only athletes whose national federations were members of World Boxing by the time of the start of the qualification events for the 2028 Olympics could take part in Los Angeles.
Chair of IABA’s board of directors, Niall O’Carroll, described the development as “a watershed moment for Irish boxing”.
“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,” he said.
“Irish Boxing has always valued our Olympic journey – from our first team of nine boxers at Paris 1924, to winning 19 medals over the last 100 years and maintaining our standing as Team Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport.
“Kellie [Harrington, double Olympic gold medallist Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024], Katie [Taylor, London 2012 champion] and Michael [Carruth, Barcelona 1992, Ireland’s 1st boxing gold medallist], are ‘the best of us”, but we have more Olympic podiums to climb, and more medals to win.
“Our joining of World Boxing today ensures that.”
