Women’s boxing on cusp of Olympic inclusion?

boxingmontage.jpgThe exclusion of women’s boxing from the Olympics is set to end in 2012, according to Australia’s Herald Sun.

“All the advice I’m getting is that it will be included in London,” Ted Tanner, chairman of Boxing Australia, said.

He said the international standard of female boxers is now very high and hoped the IOC decision would attract more Australian women to the sport from other martial arts and combat sports.

Tanner said the inclusion of women would help improve funding for the sport.

“I think it was old values that held women’s boxing back,” he said.

Women have to hold their own national championships this month because this year’s Australian titles will be staged in New South Wales, where female boxing is illegal.

The decision is expected next year, and would eliminate the last bastion of discrimination against women’s participation for the summer games. Of course, you may remember that controversy continues about the ban on female ski jumpers participating in the winter games.

Yey for the 30,000 women who box competitively all over the world, and may see their horizons edge just that little bit wider next year.

Photo from Women’s Boxing Archive Network