In a letter dated October 20, the AIBA president, Wu Ching-Kuo, has informed all the National federations about the AIBA application to the IOC.

 

The letter said: “The AIBA application outlines the strengths of women’s boxing and illustrates the key points behind why women’s boxing should be included in the Olympic Games."

 

The Olympic Programme Commission is expected to take up the application before making its recommendation to the IOC's ruling Executive Board.

 

Boxing is the only sport, among 26 approved for the London Games that does not have women’s events in the Olympics.

 

The AIBA officially announced its plans to get women’s boxing included in the London Olympics programme last August.

 

Boxing at the moment has only 11 men’s events and 286 competitors.

 

Controversially, to accommodate the introduction of the women's event, several weight categories in the men's division will probably have to be eliminated as the IOC has capped the number of medal events across all sports at a maximum of 301.

Women's boxing in Britain was first recorded in 1720 before being outlawed.

 

It was a demonstration event at the 1904 Olympics in St Louis but largely disappeared until 1994 when the international amateur association recognised it.

The debate about whether women should be allowed to box at the Olympics is a long-running one.

 

As long ago as 1974, a poll by Sports Illustrated magazine found readers overwhelmingly against their participation in the 1976 Games in Montreal.

It remains unpopular with many leading figures in boxing.

 

But it is estimated more than 30,000 women in 120 countries box competitively.