Central Council has issued an advisory on additions to the National Calendar. These include:
Elite Competition, to be stage in early June 2025. The dates and venue are to be confirmed. Clubs are advised that proposed weights for this competition are:
IABA is delighted to mark World Autism Day by inviting more clubs to join the High Five Boxing Academy for children with additional needs
Clubs are invited to express their interest here: https://shout.com/s/g8kJb7FfAll clubs interested in finding out more about the High Five programme are invited to attend one of two High Five Boxing Academy Online Open Days:
11 am on Wednesday, April 9th
6pm on Wednesday, April 16th
Access links for both open days will be shared with all clubs who express interest in the programme.
Background
The High Five Programme for children with disabilities and additional needs began in four Dublin boxing clubs: Drimnagh, Crumlin, St. Catherine’s and Palmerstown, in October 2021. The IABA extends its heartfelt thanks to the High Five Programme, its Chair, Paddy Dingle, Steering Committee, and participating clubs, boxers and parents, for paving the way for disability inclusive boxing training for children throughout Ireland and for their contribution to the development of a programme available to all boxing clubs.
In 2022, the High Five programme grew to include Duke’s BC Tyrone, Gateway BC Sligo, Greenhills BC Dublin, Ledley Hall BC Antrim, Oughterard BC Galway, Tralee BC Kerry and Templemore BC Tipperary
Clubs
Clubs in the High Five Boxing Academy must:
· Be affiliated to the IABA
· Ensure all boxers taking part in the High Five Programme are fully registered as club members
· Be a signatory to the Active Disability Ireland Disability Charter
· Be mindful of the Active Disability Ireland inclusion continuum
Coaches
Coaches coaching in the High Five Boxing Academy must:
· Be registered members of an affiliated club
· Have an IABA Level One qualification, or above
· Have a minimum of two years’ experience in coaching children and young people.
· Have current Garda vetting/AccessNI check
· Have undergone child safeguarding training
· Have completed the Active Disability Ireland Disability Inclusion Training and have retained their certificate of completion.
Boxers
All boxers in the High Five Boxing Academy must:
· Be fully registered members of their club & included in Blocworx.
· Be aged between 5 years and 18 years
For more information, please contact IABA Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Officer Patrick Adejayan via patrick.ad@iaba.ie
IABA’s April Safeguarding courses are now available for booking, following provision of Safeguarding learning online and in person in January, February and March, attended by over 80 people.
In 2025, IABA is delivering 12 Safeguarding One courses, 4 Safeguarding Two courses and a minimum of 1 Safeguarding Three course.
IABA is also open, on request, to providing Safeguarding One and/or Safeguarding Two learning in person, at a county board or provincial unit level. County Boards and Provinical Units who wish to commission in-person delivery of this learning are invited to make contact with IABA National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn, via stephen@iaba.ie
Safeguarding One
All adults – coaches, committee members & non-coaching volunteers – in every club who have contact with children are required to have undertaken Safeguarding 1.
In keeping with Sport Ireland best practice in Safeguarding training, workshops will be limited to 16 participants. In keeping with norms across the sporting community, the cost for this workshop is E20.
The aim of this workshop is to help the Club Children’s Officer to carry out their role and support the implementation of best practice in the club. Participants will also receive a Club Children’s Officer Action Planning document as part of the training.
In keeping with Sport Ireland best practice in Safeguarding training, workshops will be limited to 16 participants. In keeping with norms across the sporting community, the cost for this workshop is E20.
A person appointed to the Designated Liaison Person position in a club must firstly complete the Safeguarding One Workshop and should complete the SG3 training. A club may appoint the same person to both the CCO and DLP positions however best practice advises that they are kept as separate roles.
In keeping with Sport Ireland best practice in Safeguarding training, workshops will be limited to 16 participants. In keeping with norms across the sporting community, the cost for this workshop is E20.
Quarter
Date/Time
Delivery
Quarter 1-Feburary
TBC
Online
In 2024, IABA delivered 14 Safeguarding 1 basic awareness courses, online and in person, providing this vital learning to 207 coaches and club administrators. IABA also delivered two Safeguarding Two courses to 28 Club Children’s Officers.
The Ulster 123 Championships have now been moved to Sunday 13th April 2025 at Rochesters BC to accommodate an allow our clubs attend the Irish Athletic Boxing Association EGM.
The EGM will take place at the National Stadium Dublin on Saturday 12th April 2025.
Ulster Boxing Council says ” We would encourage all our clubs to attend the EGM and vote on the motions put infront of them. This is a crucial and critical time for Irish boxings future and it’s time for us to take control of our own future and secure Irelands Olympic place.”
And, UBC adds “This will also be crucial as we secure our place at the next Commonwealth Games 2026 due to take place in Glasgow. We feel all clubs should attend and use their vote please register using the link below: https://shout.com/s/tLCETBtX“
Ulster Boxing Council is home to over 110 successfully affiliated clubs, of which circa 50% are based in Antrim. The County Antrim Board says, in response to UBC “We would echo these thoughts an important time for Irish boxing clubs should attend and utilise their voting rights”
Member clubs will be asked to vote on two matters:
Special Resolution
“That, subject to consent of the Revenue Commissioners, the Constitution of the Company in the redline tracked form which relates to Special Resolution 1 attached and marked with the letter’s “Proposed Revised Constitution” be adopted as the revised agreed Constitution of the Company.” ….This Special Resolution gives effect to clubs’ decision on October 12th 2024, to remove reference from IBA (AIBA) from IABA’s constitution,
Rationale: On 22nd June 2023 the IOC withdrew recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) in accordance with Rule 3.7 of the Olympic Charter. It was on foot of this that a special resolution was proposed to allow the IABA to remove all references to the IBA in its constitution to allow the association to freely affiliate with International Associations instead of being constitutionally required to subscribe to IBA exclusively.
A special resolution was placed before the Members on 26 August 2023 which achieved 71% of the vote in favour of decoupling mandatory constitutional obligations to the IBA. A constitutional change requires 75% of the vote in favour and accordingly the motion did not pass.
A majority of the member clubs constituting a quorum voted by way of Extraordinary General Meeting on 12 October 2024 in favour of a motion put forward by the Member clubs in the following form;
“To remove any references to IBA ( AIBA) from all relevant Objects in the IABA Constitution whether contained in the Memorandum or the Articles of Association.’
To give effect to the will and vote of IABA clubs, an EGM has been called, with the requisite notice period with the proposed tracked draft amended constitution to give effect to this Motion by way of the appropriate constitutional amendment vote.
This motion is about ensuring that IABA can better navigate difficult circumstances including external circumstances outside its control which have a bearing on the operation of the Company with regard to the objects clauses as adopted to date.
The proposed special resolution is to amend the Constitution of the Company to allow it to place the promotion of boxing in Ireland uncoupled with obligations that are inconsistent and distinct with those objects which relate to a third-party body as directed by the majority will of the member clubs.
Ordinary Resolution
Should clubs pass Special Resolution 1 by 75% of votes cast, clubs will then be asked to vote on Ordinary Resolution 1: That the members vote to affiliate with World Boxing as a dual affiliate with the IBA.
Rationale: The IABA, by virtue of its constitution which precluded membership of any other international boxing association was not able to apply to join world boxing. IBA has in its congress of December 2024 has made provision for dual membership on a case-by-case basis. The logic for this Ordinary Resolution is to canvas to membership on their view of joining World Boxing.
If the Constitutional amendment reaches the 75% threshold, then the members are free to direct the company to join world boxing without any constitutional issues. If the Constitutional amendment does not reach the 75% threshold the members are being canvassed for their vote on whether or not to join World Boxing as a dual affiliate requiring the express permission of the IBA. (which may be withheld)
The threshold for this resolution is ordinary majority.
Registration
Registration for the EGM is now open, and will close at 2pm on April 10th. Register here: https://shout.com/s/tLCETBtX
Eligibility – All clubs successfully affiliated for 2024/2025 season, as at 21st March, 2025
Attendees: Eligible clubs may nominate any two adult members to attend as delegates – one to be a voting delegate, one to be a non-voting delegate. Delegates nominated by clubs must verified members – this means they must be included in the club’s affiliation application, through Blocworx, for the 2024/2025 season as members and be over the age of 18. *Please note, delegates will be required to present photographic identification (passport, drivers’ licence, etc) on the day of the EGM.
IABA’s Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Officer, Patrick Adejayan, has commissioned and is funding the Irish Wheelchair Association to deliver in-person wheelchair accessibility awareness training on Tuesday, April 8th.
The 3-hour Accessibility Awareness (In-Person) Training introduces participants to the key principles of Universal Access, Universal Design, Disability Access Certificates and Access Auditing to ensure all aspects of the built environment are accessible.
This practical workshop is highly interactive, with videos, discussions, case studies, design appraisals, route appraisals, problem-solving of everyday scenarios, examples of everyday barriers faced by people with disabilities and more.
After completing the workshop, participants will receive an Irish Wheelchair Association Certificate of Attendance and a resource manual for inclusive activities.
Date and Location
The National Stadium, Tuesday 8th April between 11am and 2pm.
Places are limited. If you register for a place on this course and cannot attend, please advise IABA’s DEI Officer, Patrick Adejayan, through patrick.ad@iaba.ie so that your place can be offered to an IABA member on the waiting list.
