From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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"I was notified last night of the resignations of Ciarán Kirwan as Chairperson and of Fergal Carruth as Chief Executive of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, with effect from the end of August.
I want to, in the first instance, thank both men for their years of service to the sport of boxing. Since Fergal’s appointment as CEO in 2013, and Ciarán’s appointment to the Board in 2014 and then his appointment in 2019 as Chairperson, both of them have shown tremendous resolve and dedication in striving to grow and develop the sport of boxing across the island of Ireland. In that time, the numbers involved in the sport of boxing have grown very significantly, and the growth in female participation has been especially heartening. There has been sustained success at elite international level too and I am convinced that there is further huge potential within boxing from grassroots to the elite level.
"In resigning, both men refer to the ongoing debates within boxing about governance standards within the sport and I hope that IABA will soon be able to engage with Sport Ireland on this important area for the future development of the sport. I have been very clear that the government wants to support the boxing community and to enable the sport to grow and prosper. However, best practice within the ring has to be matched by governance excellence if State support of, and funding to, the sport is to be maximised. This is consistent with our approach to all sports in the context of the National Sports Policy and the government’s consistent expansion of funding to the sports sector in Ireland.
"The recent governance review of boxing contains a series of recommendations which I think most within the sport can support and I would ask the IABA to engage with Sport Ireland on how the review can be implemented. Once that engagement process begins, my department and I are available to assist in putting boxing on an organisational and governance standing that will facilitate sustained excellence in the years ahead."