Paddy Barnes pens plea for boxing's return to Olympics

As it stands, boxing is absent from the schedule for the 2028 Olympics

14 December 2022; The Olympic Federation of Ireland’s Athletes’ Commission at the launch of their Strategy 2022-2024 and the unveiling of a fund of €65,000 that athletes and coaches can apply for. The strategy outlines four key pillars, Athlete Welfare, Athlete Voice, Athlete Impact and Athlete Spirit, and will see the roll out of a Mentorship Programme amongst other initiatives. Pictured is member of the Athletes’ Commission Paddy Barnes. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Two-time Olympic medallist Paddy Barnes has sent a letter signed by some of boxing’s biggest names to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach in an attempt to have the sport reinstated to the Games programme for the 2028 event in Los Angeles.

As it stands, boxing is absent from the schedule for the 34th Olympiad in under six years’ time as a result of concerns over governing issues with the International Boxing Association (IBA), formerly known as the International Amateur Boxing Association.