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Women’s boxing first for Olympics 2012

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Penny Hopkins
WVoN co-editor

In 2009 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that for the first time women’s boxing would form a part of the Olympics and that the first bouts would take place in London in 2012.

With that decision, the IOC ensured there would no longer be any Olympic sports practised solely by men.

However, progress does not mean complete equality.  There are 10 weight divisions in the men’s competition compared to a mere three in the women’s. In all, 250 male boxers will compete, but only 36 women.

Boxing has always been one of the more contentious sports.  Can it ever be right that the purpose of a sport should be to hurt an opponent, preferably until they are unable to go on?

Does boxing really help to dispel aggression or does it foster aggression?  And what about the socio-economic factors that compel people to take up boxing?

I don’t intend to go into the ethics behind the sport, but one thing is sure, if we add the participation of women into the mix the controversy deepens and opinion is divided even further.

The popular conception is that, historically, women’s only role in boxing was to parade  around the ring skimpily-clad with a sign letting the punters know what round it is.   But, in truth, it has been around for much longer than you might think.

Women’s boxing was first included as an Olympic demonstration sport in 1904, although the sport was still banned throughout Europe for most of the 20 century.

The Amateur International Boxing Association recognised women’s boxing in 1994, but the professional sport, especially in Britain, lagged behind.

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) continued to refuse to issue professional licences to women until 1998, and only then because it lost a sex discrimination case brought by boxer Jane Couch.

There has, however, been a steady increase in the interest in women’s boxing over the last few years,  perhaps fuelled and reflected by the success of Clint Eastwood’s 2004 film “Million Dollar Baby.”

Frustratingly, much of the discussion about it at the Olympics has revolved around whether the boxers should be wearing skirts rather than shorts.

As British lightweight champion, Natasha Jones, put it: “The only people who would want to see women in skirts are men.”

The problem necessitated an amendment to the Amateur International Boxing Association’s rules which now state: “For all AIBA approved events, women boxers must wear…either shorts or the option of a skirt.”

There will be only one qualification event for the Games.  This will be the Women’s World Championship, to be held in Qinhuangdao, China, from 9 to 20 May.  The final 24 Olympic places will be up for grabs in three weight categories; 48-51 kg, 57-60 kg and 69-75 kg.

Whatever your views, it seems that a true validation of the sport is only a few months away with the advent of its first Olympic appearance.

Should you wish to, you can catch women’s boxing at the Olympics from Saturday 28 July to Sunday 12 August at the ExCel Centre in London’s Docklands.

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