(Beijing, November 19) During the 2007 International Boxing Invitational Tournament in Beijing, Ching-Kuo Wu and Chang Jianping, President and Vice-President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), talked about the Olympic boxing competition to be held here next year. To bring women's boxing into the Olympic Games is a great challenge to the AIBA, Ching-Kuo Wu said, and everybody concerned should work hard to fulfill this important task.

Boxing is the only sport contested at the Olympic Games without any women's events. As Ching-Kuo Wu put it, the AIBA has no right to include women's boxing in the Olympic program but will do its utmost to make this dream come true. "With the participation of boxers from 34 countries and regions," he added, "the 2006 International Women's Boxing Championships indicated that women's boxing was well received in the world."

AIBA Vice-President Chang Jianping described Chinese women boxers as a world-class contingent. "China won gold medals at both the First and Second International Women's Boxing Championships, he said. "As Russia and DPR Korea boast stronger teams, I believe if women's boxing becomes an Olympic event it will give a great impetus to the development of the sport in China."