Skirts off for Olympics

WORLD amateur boxing chiefs AIBA have strongly indicated they will not make it compulsory for female boxers to wear skirts at the 2012 Olympics.

The AIBA Technical and Rules Commission will meet next January and the issue will be discussed. It is expected the commission will announce female boxers will have the option of wearing either regular knee-length shorts or skirts in London.

AIBA have suggested wearing skirts in the ring would help female pugilists stand out from their male counterparts. But some of the world’s top female boxers, including Ireland’s Katie Taylor, have poured cold water on the idea, although the Polish and Romanian teams wore skirts at last month’s European Championships.