Boxing has taken a step closer to being included on the programme for Los Angeles 2028 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted provisional recognition to World Boxing.
The sport faced the axe from the Games following the IOC's decision to banish the previous governing body, the International Boxing Association, over a series of governance and financial concerns.
Boxing has not been included on the initial list of sports for LA and the IOC has indicated it has no intention of effectively staging the competition itself, as it did in Paris last year.
World Boxing was launched in 2023 with the specific intention of providing an alternative governing body that could meet the IOC’s approval and currently has 78 members, including England, Scotland, Wales and the United States.
Ireland, along with China, remain notable absentees from World Boxing's current list of members and the organisation acknowledged it must do more to convince the IOC that the future of Olympic boxing lies in its hands.
Last October a resolution was passed to remove all references to the International Boxing Association (IBA) from the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) constitution.
Requiring a 51% majority, 73 of the 145 clubs who registered voted in favour, with 40 against and a further 27 votes spoilt - meaning the resolution was comfortably passed.
Had it been defeated, and the IABA remained solely aligned with the IBA, Irish boxing's Olympic future was in grave danger.
Speaking about today's development, World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst said: "Today’s decision by the IOC is an important milestone, however everyone connected with World Boxing understands that being part of the Olympic Movement is a privilege and a responsibility and not a right.
"There is still a lot of work to do and everyone is as committed as ever to continuing to work together and doing everything within our power to deliver a better future for our sport and ensuring that boxing remains at heart of the Olympic Movement."
