Sheffield could be in with a fighting chance of taking an Olympic medal following news that the national amateur boxing governing body is relocating to the city.
The city's commitment to providing potential future medal winners for 2012 took a step further with the announcement that the Amateur Boxing Association of England Ltd (ABAE) will move to the English Institute of Sport - Sheffield in September.
The move, from its 30-year-old base at Crystal Palace, is seen as key to encouraging wider participation in the sport at grass roots, community and elite level and could mean that boxing's next Olympic winner could come from the South Yorkshire region.
ABAE chief executive Paul King said:
"There is now a massive sea change in boxing through modernization and improved governance, structure and funding."
Sheffield offers us the chance to be in a city at the cutting edge of elite sport, use first class facilities, take advantage of superb opportunities to liaise with clubs, schools and local authorities to deliver a focused programme, develop world class athletes and raise the profile of the ABAE. There really was no better choice than Sheffield to relocate to.
"Our overall aim will be to deliver Sport England's Whole Sports Plan to assist in the development of the sport, its athletes at local and regional level and also deliver the elite programme for UK Sport, which will be extremely focused on achieving more Olympic medals and qualifying athletes for Beijing and beyond to the London games in 2012."
The ABAE is hoping that successful, high profile boxers like Bolton's Amir Khan and more recently Liverpool's Neil Perkins, will attract local potential future medal-winners into the sport which means the next medal winners could be from Sheffield.
The move, due to take place in September, will create around 10 jobs at EISS including the first ever Boxing Development Officer for Sheffield who will liaise with local clubs and schools.
As well as better identification of future talent at grass-roots level, the ABAE also hopes to target and expand participation of female boxers and encourage improved relations with professional boxing.
Wayne Coyle, Sheffield International Venue's head of sport and director of Olympic and Paralympic Strategy and member of the Sheffield 2012 Steering Group, said: "Sheffield can play a major part in an exciting challenge of creating a world class programme for amateur boxers who can aspire to represent Great Britain in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. The city hopes it can move forward to develop a boxing programme that is both innovative and brings through a new and successful generation of future Olympians."
John Mothersole, Sheffield City Council's Executive Director of Development, Environment and Leisure added: "It is really encouraging to see another national sports organisation making a commitment to using Sheffield's world-class facilities. I am delighted to welcome the ABA to the city and I'm sure we will see many more champions developing from this region in the future."
The English Volleyball Association relocated its GB teams to EISS earlier this month in preparation for Beijing 2008 and London 2012.
Notes to editors:
The Amateur Boxing Association of England Ltd (ABAE) is the Sports National Governing Body. It is also the England Member Organisation of the Amateur International Boxing Association (A.I.B.A.) and the European Amateur Boxing Association (E.A.B.A.). The ABAE is responsible for all the administration, development and promotion of amateur boxing throughout England. It is a non-profit organisation and is overseen by a Board of Directors and a Boxing Council who are responsible for all rules and regulations within the sport of amateur boxing in England.
The Sheffield 2012 Steering Group was formed to look at how Sheffield can maximise the benefits with regards to sport, culture, economic, social and environmental objectives from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
The group has identified various strands of opportunity associated with the 2012 Games development of sports participation in Sheffield, the staging of major events, the hosting of international training camps, progressing sports business opportunities, athlete development and elite programmes and tourism benefits.
Key players from across South Yorkshire including representatives from the South Yorkshire Local Authorities, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield International Venues, SportsPulse, Sheffield First for Investment, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry, South Yorkshire Destination Management Partnerships make up the group.
The group feeds into the Nations and Regions Steering Group via regional steering groups including the Yorkshire 2012 Steering Group which includes members from Yorkshire Culture, Sport England, Yorkshire Forward, Yorkshire Tourism and covers Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, York and Hull.
Released on behalf of the Sheffield 2012 Steering Group and the English Institute of Sport by HR Media Ltd. For more information contact Abby Worsnip at HR Media on 0114 221 0230.