Ireland's double Olympic gold medallist believes that not having boxing at the next Olympics in LA in 2028 would have a detrimental effect on funding and future generations looking to get into the sport.
The IOC stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition last year over its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance. As a result, the Olympic body has not yet included the sport in the LA 2028 programme.
There is real fear that a sport that has made so many Irish boxers worldwide famous won't be part of the Games in 2028. However, the International Olympic Committee has claimed that they would love to have boxing at the Los Angeles 2028 Games but first need to see the creation of a new global governing body for the sport.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams told a press conference, "We are not a federation, and we desperately need a federation to run boxing."
Harrington, who made history this week by beating Yang Wenlu in the 60kg final, believes that not having boxing in LA would be very bad for the next generation of boxers coming through in the small areas where she came from.
"I think it would be an awful shame for that to happen," Harrington said. "We need the Olympics for funding, basically.
"So many kids are coming through who are dreaming of going to the Olympics. That’s gold for some kids, you know. It would be absolutely disastrous if boxing wasn’t brought back for LA. I think it should be in.
The International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday it would love to see boxing at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, but it would first need to see the creation of a new global governing body for the sport. #Paris2024 #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/zTtVhBSbA4
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"I think there are a few changes that need to be made for that, but absolutely... boxing is a massive part of the Olympic Games, especially for Ireland, so that would be a crying shame. I think everybody needs to do a little bit more to keep it there."
This comes in the same week that Olympic boss Thomas Bach also said that the sport should be included in the next Games in 2028. “Very clearly, yes,” Bach told reporters. “Boxing is one of the most global sports. Boxing is a sport with high social values.”
However, Bach says boxing must sort itself out if that is to happen, and only they can solve the problem of governance and funding.
“First of all, we want boxing in the programme of the Olympic Games. This is the target. But boxing can only be at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles if we have a reliable partner,” he said.
“So now the national boxing federations have to make their choice. It’s up to them.
“If they want their athletes to win medals in Olympic Games in a fair competition, with an international federation with a good reputation, with good governance, with a clear anti-doping policy, and with financial transparency, then they must find an international federation as a partner for the IOC.
“It is in their hands.”
