Women's boxing will be included in the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the president of the International Olympic Committee announced Thursday, CNN reported.
The decision came during a two-day IOC Executive Board meeting here, at which board members also decided to propose golf and rugby for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games.
"I can only rejoice about the decision of inclusion of women's boxing," IOC President Jacques Rogge told reporters. "I think it's a great decision. Boxing was the sole (Olympic) sport with no women involved."
He added, "The sport of women's boxing has progressed a lot, a tremendous amount, in the last five years and it was about time to include them in the Games."
When the IOC dropped baseball and softball from the 2012 Olympic program several years ago, it said it would consider adding new sports that had a clean reputation and a wide appeal.
Rogge pointed out that women's boxing has around 200 athletes who could potentially compete in 2012, while softball has only around 120. As a result, he said, the IOC considered women's boxing to be more popular.
Softball and baseball were considered for inclusion in the 2016 Games along with squash, karate, roller sports, golf, and rugby, but the board decided to consider only the last two.
The IOC has not yet picked the host city for 2016.
Board members will submit golf and rugby to the full IOC session for a final decision at its meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, in October.
Women’s boxing to be 2012 Olympic sport, IOC says
