FEDERATION OF IRISH SPORT LAUNCH THE 2022 VOLUNTEERS IN SPORT AWARDS

‘Give the gift of nominating a standout volunteer in your club’

The Federation of Irish Sport today announced the launch of the 2022 Volunteers in Sports Awards. The county awards will return to an in-person awards ceremony, recognising the army of volunteers who make sport happen in communities, in every county across the country. Nominations are now open at www.volunteersinsport.ie. The awards are #DedicatedtotheDedicated.

The 2022 awards will be celebrated in the Greater Dublin Area at the beginning of March 2023. Nominations are open from Monday 12^th December via the dedicated awards website. Entries will close on the 25^th January 2023. Nominations received will be shortlisted and put forward for consideration by the Judging Panel. Winners are chosen on a county basis, with 32 award recipients and one overall Outstanding Volunteer Award.

Volunteers are the cornerstone of sporting activities in clubs and communities nationwide. Unpaid, they give freely of their time, energy and are dedicated to the development of their chosen sport. Over 450,000 volunteers are needed on a weekly basis to run club activities, giving on average 3½ hours per week. The estimated economic value of volunteering in sport and physical activity is worth €1.5bn. Without them sports clubs would not exist.

Commenting on the announcement Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers, TD said, “It’s an honour to be part of the launch of these national awards, recognising the many volunteers who are the backbone of local sports clubs in every community across the country. They are responsible for making sure weekly training sessions take place, managing teams, organising inter-club matches, ensuring pitches, courts and clubhouses are kept operational most importantly bringing communities together through sport. Last year’s winners represented a wide variety of sports and all ages of volunteers.  I would encourage all club members to reflect on who they know in their club that has made a difference and had a positive impact in their community through their dedication to their sport.”

Mary O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport said, “I am delighted to launch the return of the Volunteers in Sport Industry Awards. While the awards were successfully hosted online for the last two years due to the pandemic, nothing beats the warmth and connectivity of gathering in-person to recognise the selfless work being done by volunteers behind the scenes at clubs and sporting organisations. 

There is a strong sense of volunteerism in sport in Ireland. We had been on track to reach the 2027 target of 55% for social participation, club membership or attendance at a sporting event. However, Covid has impacted this and we need to encourage more participation and volunteering to get back on track to reach this target. Shining a light on our volunteers in sport is a way to recognise and remind people of the invaluable role they play in society.”

To keep up to date with all the latest announcements visit www.volunteersinsport.ie 

IABA is seeking a talented and ambitious person to lead our National Safeguarding Unit.

The National Safeguarding Manager will be responsible for education and awareness raising of safeguarding matters in over 360 boxing clubs on the island of Ireland, in addition to managing Garda and Access NI vetting applications.

Among the NSM’s duties are:

1. Familiarisation with IABA Safeguarding & Child Protection policy, Children First and Our Duty
   to Care to ensure the successful applicant can act as an information source to other
   members of the organisation
2. Circulation of all relevant information and resource materials, on children’s sport to clubs and
   affiliates IABA bodies
3. Become an authorised signatory for all Garda Vetting Applications and ensure that an up to
   date register is maintained at IABA Headquarters which details all Safeguarding/Child
   Protection Training and Garda/Access NI Vetting carried out by the sport
4. Assisting in the development of a system of record keeping (including all Garda & Access NI
   Vetting applications) which maintains confidentiality while allowing for appropriate information
   to be passed to relevant authorities where necessary
5. Manage the running of relevant national safeguarding committees within the IABA
6. Work closely with relevant stakeholders including Sport Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland
7. Work with relevant statutory bodies including An Garda Siochana, PSNI, National Vetting
   Bureau, Access NI, Tulsa and NI social services
8. Communicating with Club Secretaries and Clubs Children’s Officers to ensure the
   communication and implementation of the IABA policy and Safeguarding Procedures for Young
   and Vulnerable members http://iaba.ie/safe-guarding-and-child-protection-section/ and the
   promotion of related education programmes, materials, events and governing body related
   documents
9. To co-ordinate the development of a Safeguarding/Child Protection strategy which is in line with
   best practice, expresses the values and aims of the IABA and develop/maintain such policies and
   procedures as are required to meet current legislative requirements and the needs of the IABA
   12.To monitor and feedback on clubs’ implementation of required safeguarding practices
10. To liaise with clubs to ensure drop-out rates and transfers are monitored so that unusual
    developments or trends can be addressed

A full list of role responsibilities and requirements is attached – applications, including CV and cover letter, are invited to hr@iaba.ie by 5pm on January 6th.

Ireland’s history-making Women’s European Championship Team have been shortlisted for the RTE Sport Awards Team of the Year.

The team claimed 3 gold, through Amy Broadhurst, Kellie Harrington and Aoife O’Rourke, two silver via Caitlin Fryers and Christina Desmond, and a bronze through Shannon Sweeney. This was a record European medals haul for Ireland – the team topped the medals table, out of 31 countries, and were named Best Team of the Tournament.

The team included: 48kg: Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s, Mayo, 50kg: Caitlin Fryers, Immaculata BC, Belfast, 52kg: Carly McNaul, Ormeau Road BC, Belfast, 54kg: Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin, 57kg: Michaela Walsh, Emerald BC, Belfast, 60kg: Kellie Harrington, St. Mary’s BC, Dublin, 63kg: Amy Broadhurst, St. Bronagh’s ABC, Newry, 66kg: Kaci Rock, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow, 70kg: Christina Desmond, Dungarvan BC/Garda BC, 75kg: Aoife O’Rourke, Olympic BC, Galway; Coaches Zauri Antia, John Conlan, Dmitrij Dmitruk, Eoin Pluck and physio Rob Tuomey.

They are nominated alongside the Irish Men’s Rugby team, the Kerry Senior Men’s Football team, Kilkenny Senior Camogie team, the Limerick Senior Hurling team, the Meath Senior Women’s Football team, the Men’s Lightweight Double Schull team (Rowing), Ireland Women’s Soccer team, Shamrock Rovers (Soccer) and the Tandem Para-Cycling.

Team Ireland's history-making Women's European Championship Team have been shortlisted for the RTE Sport Team of the Year award pic.twitter.com/9Ug75B29hY

— IABA (@IABABOXING) December 11, 2022

The team is the fourth 2022 Team Ireland nominee – 2022 light middleweight World Champion, Lisa O’Rourke, is nominated in the Young Sportsperson of the Year category, alongside Rhasidat Adeleke, James Culhane, Eve McMahon and Israel Olatunde.

While Head Coach, Zauri Antia, is nominated in a year in which Team Ireland have won 2 senior elite World titles, 2 Strandja golds, 16 multinations medals, 4 European gold, 2 European silver and 2 bronze, and, for the first time, the Women’s Team were named No. 1 in Europe.

This is Zauri’s second time to be nominated for the RTE Sport accolade – he is shortlised alongside Stephen Bradley (Soccer), Brian Dowling (Camogie), Dominic Casey (Rowing), Andy Farrell (Rugby), John Kiely (Hurling), Willie Mullins (Horse Racing), Eamonn Murray (Womens Football), Ronan O’Gara (Rugby), Jack O’Connor (Men’s Football) and Vera Pauw (Soccer)

Zauri is the only nominee representing a solely individual sport, or a combat sport.

And World Champion, European and Commonwealth champion, Amy Broadhurst, has been nominated as RTE Sportsperson of the Year.

Amy is shortlisted alongside Rachel Blackmore (2021 winner, Horse Racing), David Clifford, (Men’s Football), Ronan Grimes (Paracycling), Ciara Mageean (Athletics), Katie McCabe (Soccer), Rhys McClenaghan (Gymnastics), Rory McIlroy (Golf), Katie Taylor (nominated as a Pro Boxer, but Katie is a Team Ireland Olympic champion and multi-World titlist), Josh Van Der Flier (Rugby)

The winners will be announced live on RTÉ One on Saturday night, 17 December, in an awards show presented by Jacqui Hurley, Evanne Ní Chuilinn and Ruby Walsh.

Entries are now open for the 2023 National Elite Championships.

The 2023 National Elite Championships are the de facto beginning of selection for the Paris 2024 Olympics. All boxers wishing to be considered for the selection pool for any Olympic Games qualifiers must enter these Elite championships  

The Competition Circular

Weights:

Weights: Men	Weights: Women
48kg	48kg
51kg	50kg
54kg	52kg
57kg	54kg
60kg	57kg
63.5kg	60kg
67kg	63kg
71kg	66kg
75kg	70kg
80kg	75kg
86kg	81kg
92kg	81+kg
92+kg

Schedule:

December 6^th: Entries open

January 6^th:  Entries close

January 6^th: Club review period opens

January 8^th: Club review period closes

January 10^th: Open Draw, 1pm.

January 12^th: Preliminaries

January 13^th: Preliminaries

January 14^th: Preliminaries

January 15^th: Quarter Finals

January 20^th: Semi Finals

January 21^st: Finals

Entry Format

• Entry to the 2023 National Elite Championships is online, through your club’s Blocworx affiliation portal. Please log in using the same username and password your club used for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 affiliation. If your username or password are no longer available to you, please contact Sally sally@iaba.ie, James james@iaba.ie or Ciara ciara@iaba.ie and your username and password will be reissued to you.
• A video guide the entry process and payment process is attached. It will shortly be up-loaded on to IABA’s YouTube channel and the IABA website.
• Entries open at 5pm on Tuesday, December 6^th and close at 5pm on Friday, January 6^th
• Entries will only be accepted between these dates and through the Blocworx affiliation portal

Entry Fees:

€40, per boxer. Entry must be paid, online, at the point of entry or boxers cannot be included in the draw. Fees are non-refundable, including in instances where boxers withdraw. All fees must be paid by 5pm on January 6^th.

Club review period

Once entries close at 5pm on Friday, January 6^th, every club which has entered boxer(s) in to the 2023 National Elite Championships will have the opportunity to check and review their boxer’s information, including name and spelling of name, weight and gender category. Clubs will not be able to enter additional boxers during this period. This 48-hour window will close at 5pm on Sunday, January 8^th. Clubs will be notified, directly, of the opening and closing of the review period.

Weigh-ins:

January 12^th – 15^{th :} 8.00am – 10.00am & 11.00am – 1.00pm

January 20th and 21st: 8.00am – 9.00am & 12.00pm – 1.00pm

The Board of Directors is seeking feedback and observations on the Governance Review of IABA, conducted by Brian McNeice. The review, which covered all aspects of the association and issued over 60 recommendations, is attached.

The IABA commissioned two workshops on the report, which were open to all adult members of all affiliated clubs.

Watch Workshop One

Watch Workshop Two

All adult members of your club are invited to take part in the survey, which is available here.

All views are welcome, and the survey includes the facility to suggest reforms which may not have been included in the survey, as well as the facility to state which reforms you feel IABA should act on, and which reforms IABA should not act on. The survey will remain open until December 14^th