As pledged at the IABA EGM on 12 October, a third phase of consultation on the IABA Rulebook has now opened.
A two- phase formal consultation on the revision of the rulebook took place in November-December 2023 and June-July 2024. A 10-month information consultation was open between November 2023 and September 2024.
The revised rulebook was adopted by the Board of Directors on September 20th last – but member voting on adoption has been postponed to allow additional consultations with State Services: the Defence Forces, Gardai, the PSNI and Universities.
The consultation is now open to all members, through rules@iaba.ie for a two week period until 5pm on Wednesday, October 30th.
Thereafter, the Rules Committee will review all submissions and issue any amendments to all clubs by Wednesday, November 6th, for their consideration.
Entries are now being accepted to Irish Boxing’s marquee competition: the National Elite Championships.
The tournament will be contested by World and European medalists, as well as Paris Olympians and Paris & Tokyo Olympians.
Boxing will take place at the home of Irish Boxing from November 11th to 15th.
Please be advised that, as per Article 46 of the IBA Technical and Competition rules, headguards are removed from Women’s Elite Competitions, this also includes our National Elite Championships.
Competition Arrangements
Dates: November 11tht to 15th. Finals take place on the 15th,
Entries: A non–refundable entry fee of €40 applies. Online entry, via the Blocworx portal, is open till 5pm sharp on Friday 1st, November. Only boxers for whom entries and entry fees have been received will be allowed box. All boxers must enter the Elite championships to be considered for International Duty.
Boxers who enter the 2025 National Elite Championships but who cannot compete through injury will be required to furnish a medical statement of injury to the National Secretary Antoinette Fay McClean at mccleaniaba@gmail.com
Entry Process: Affiliated clubs wishing to enter boxers into the championships must log-in to their Blocworx portal, using their unique username and password. Clubs who have not retained their username or password following the completion of their affiliation for the 2024/2025 season, or which are experiencing any difficulty in submitted boxing information or fees should contact IABA staff, Sally Ann Kinch sally@iaba.ie, James Geraghty, James@iaba.ie or Ciara Plunkett, ciara@iaba.ie
Please be aware that all boxers entering this competition must: (1) be members of an IABA affiliated club, (2) must be explicitly named in their club’s Blocworx portal, (3) be eligible to represent IABA under IBA eligibility requirements (4) boxers must have completed the applicable waiver/code of conduct process
No international competition kits to be worn by any boxers; boxers may wear club kit, only.
Draws: Tuesday, 05th November, 1pm in the National Stadium. The draw is being conducted on the basis of pre-entry only.
Attention is drawn to the following IABA rule
A club shall not include in its list of members the name of any person who is a member of any other club. Accordingly, any club making an entry to the National Elite championships affirms that the entrant is not a member of any other club, in any jurisdiction.
Weigh-in and Medical: Boxers will weigh in each day they box. Individual weigh-in times may be given to participants but this will be decided and made known prior to the event. A medical will be performed on each boxer on their first day of competition.
Boxing Record books to be presented by the boxer at their initial weigh-in.
Age Requirements: Boxers born between 1984 and 2005.
It is a condition of entry that all competitors and officials have a signed Waiver/Members Acknowledgement Form and adhere to any agreement made with the Association sponsors. This document also stipulates requirements in relation to conduct throughout the championships, and social media It is the duty and responsibility of the National Registrar to withdraw any boxer deemed to be insufficiently experienced for Elite level competition, with reference to the boxer’s Boxing Record book.
PRO WRAPS Are permitted. Boxers with pro-wraps hands must present them to an official, as directed by the National Registrar, for inspection before competing.
HEADGUARDS: As per Article 46 of the IBA Technical and Competition rules: Headguards are removed from Women’s Elite Competitions, this also includes our National Elite Championships.
Anti-Doping may be carried out at any stage of the championships and all boxers must advise the doctor of any medication they are taking or have taken in the preceding 4 weeks. It is imperative that all boxers adhere to the Anti-Doping Rules and Regulations. For any queries regarding this matter, boxers/coaches should contact Mr Larry Morrison, IBA Anti-Doping Officer on 086-0292476.
Non Pregnancy Declaration forms must be signed.
Attire: Boxers shall have one red and one blue vest. In accordance with IBA Technical and Competition rule 48.7, boxers may wear form fitting arm / and or leg coverings. Hair must be tied back and hairnets or swimming caps should be worm under head gear for boxers with long hair. NO red, orange or pink gumshields are allowed. A boxer can have a beard and moustache, but either must not cover the neck and must not be longer than 10cm, in accordance with IBA Technical and Competition rule 4.2.5.2.2
Coaches: They must wear track suitsandrunners at all sessions and endeavour to set a high standard of hygiene in the corners. No shorts, caps or hats are allowed.
Sportsmanship: All decisions must be accepted in a sporting manner. Any complaints must be addressed to the Chief Official, Mr. Philip Rooney. Please show respect to all Ringside Officials. A document stipulating requirements in relation to conduct and the use of social media must be signed by all boxers and coaches at their initial weigh-in.
Please Note:
Referees & Judges for the Elite Championships will not be allowed enter the field of play as a coach with their club boxer.
All Referee & Judges must bring their record book.
Please ensure when entering your boxer into Blocworx, that your Boxers email address is also entered to give the boxers direct access to information on the selection policy or the nomination declaration process.
Team Ireland will return from Buglaria with at least three medals, following today’s women’s quarter finals. 7 boxers are in action in tomorrow’s men’s quarter finals, which means this tally may well rise.
327 boxers from 36 federations are contesting the tournament -Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, IBA Neutral N, IBA Neutral B, Ireland, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales. October 18th is a rest day, and finals will be boxed across October 19th and 20th.
48kg Carleigh Irving made her tournament debut today at QF stage, having received a bye. She met Azerbaijan’s Mehpara Mammadova. Carleigh will come home with at least a bronze medal, following a dominate 5-0 performance. Judges scored the bout 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27. Joining Carleigh on the podium will be 54kg Robyn Kelly who secured a 4-1 victory over IBA-B’s Tatsiana Trushkina on a score line of: 30:27; 28:29; 29:28; 29:28; 30:27. Former World Champion, Lisa O’Rourke, make short work of her tournament debut against Serbia’s Anastasija Lukajic by way of RSC2.
57kg Niamh Fay contested Sthelyne Grosy of France in a testy bout – Niamh boxed bravely, but the 4-1 decision went to her opponent on a score line of 29:28; 29:28; 28:29; 29:28; 29:28. Kaci Rock, contested at welter, met Latvia’s Kitija Zarberga – her tournament concludes following a 5-0 decision. Judges scored the bout 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28. Bethancy Doocey was the last Irish boxer between the ropes today, and she boxed Greece’s Vasilik Staridou. Bethany contested strongly, with good control of pace, space and distance – however, the 4-1 decision went to the Greek boxer. Judges scored the bout 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 28:29.
Day Five
7 boxers are in action on the second day of Quarter Finals.
First up is 51kg Clepson dos Santos. He opens his tournament against Georgia’s JAPARIDZE DAVIT Davit Japaridze Bout 3 of Ring A’s Afternoon Session. In Bout 7 of the same ring and session, 63.5kg Roy Colgan boxes for a place on the podium against IBA-B’s Vadzim Vauchok.
48kg Louis Rooney makes his debut in the opening bout of Ring B’s Afternoon Session against Armenia’s Hovhannes Harutyunyan.
In Ring A’s Evening Session, 54kg Patsy Joyce meets Estonia’s Allan Morozov – in Bout 11 of the same ring and session, superheavy Martin McDonagh contests against IBA-B’s Mikita Nahorny.
In Ring B, 57kg Gavin Ryan is back for his third bout of the tournament, and will box for a medal against Georgia’s Gor Ayvazyan in Bout 4. Four bouts later, 71kg Bobbi Ryan will also battle for his 3rd win, taking on Spain’s Sergio Martinez.
Boxing in the Afternoon Session begins at 12pm, Irish time; the Evening Session beings at 3.30pm.
IABA has taken part today in the first workshop of Student Sport Ireland’s Women’s Coaching Academy.
The Women’s Student Coaching Academy is a collaborative programme between Sport Ireland, Student Sport Ireland, 27 Third Level Institution Campuses and 17 National Sporting Bodies. The programme provides one year of support to female students who wish to develop to be a top coach in their sport. The aim of the programme is to provide a support system around the female student coach enabling them to develop and reach their coaching potential. Furthermore, the programmes aims to increase the number and visibility, of female coaches in third level institutions and create female role models to inspire other female students to progress into coaching.
While the programme is in it’s 4th year, this is the first time that boxing has been available as an option for participants to chose to coach as part of the academy.
Two students have been selected by their universities for a place on the academy to become boxing coaches: Laura Kidd McEntee (TU Dublin Tallaght Campus) and Giada Franzolini (TU Dublin Blanchardstown Campus). Both women will take the first step on their coaching pathway by sitting the IABA’s Fundamentals: Assistant Coach course in November. Both are planning to set up and run women’s only boxing classes on their respective campuses.
IABA’s Women in Sport Lead, Sophie Doolan – who is a graduate of the Academy, and IABA National Development Manager James Geraghty, attended today’s first workshop.
40 coaches this weekend began working towards their Level One: Club Coach qualification.
This course is the stage two qualification on IABA’s Coach Education Pathway, after Fundamentals: Assistant Coach. Any coach with a Fundamentals qualification can undertake Level One qualification after 6 months.
Two Level One courses began over the weekend, the first kindly hosted by St. Catherine’s Boxing Club, Dublin, and the second held by Northside Boxing Club Cork
In order to train as an IABA boxing coach, participants must be club members, in good standing and have undergone Garda Vetting/Access NI checks, and Safeguarding learning.
Since the introduction of the revised IABA Coach Education Pathway in 2022, over 600 people have begun their coaching careers. Level One education was launched in quarter two this year.
