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Women’s boxing rejected at Beijing Olympics

LAUSANNE (Switzerland): A bid to introduce women’s boxing at the 2008 Beijing Games was rejected by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday.

But the IOC continued its drive to increase the number of women competitors by raising participation in other sports. Women’s teams were increased from 10 to 12 in soccer, hockey and handball while a women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase will also be added to the programme. An open water 10km swimming race for men and women was also added to the Beijing line-up.

“The decision was purely based on technical merit,” the IOC’s director of sport Kelly Fairweather said of the boxing ruling. “The IOC did not feel it has reached the stage where it merits inclusion.” The IOC left the door open for women’s boxing to be included at the London Games in 2012. Fairweather said boxing’s governing body could make a new bid in 2009. The decision-making executive board accepted all the recommendations made by the IOC’s programme commission.

“The programme commission aimed to provide the executive board with recommendations based on a fair and wide analysis of the situation with an emphasis on the relevance of events and disciplines for future generations as well as the participation of women,” IOC communications director Giselle Davies said. “The changes agreed by the EB will lead to an increase in the number of female athletes by approximately 80. “This number will be included within the total number of 10,500 athletes through a final decision on quota per sport which will be made at the next EB meeting.” At the Athens Olympics in 2004, 41 percent of the athletes were women. The IOC threw out a request from the International Tennis Federation to introduce mixed doubles at the Beijing Games. reuters

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