IOC give Olympic qualifier date update

The qualification period for all sports for Tokyo 2021 has been extended to June 29 next year following the postponement of Tokyo 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The Olympic Games were due to begin this July in Tokyo but were adjourned and will start in the Japanese capital on July 23, 2021.

One hundred and twelve boxers, including Irish captain Brendan Irvine, have qualified for Tokyo 2021 following the completion of the African, Asia/Oceania and partially finished European event.

The remainder of the European qualifiers and the Americas route, followed by the final World qualifier in Paris, will be decided at dates to be confirmed.

The IOC plans to finalise the adapted qualification systems by mid-April of this year, according to reports.

Two hundred and eighty-six boxers – 186 males and 100 females – will compete at Tokyo 2021 across eight weights classes for men and five for women.

So far, thirty-nine per cent of boxers have qualified worldwide, or forty-four per cent, taking into account the six host places for Japan and eight invitation places.

Fifty-seven per cent of the 11,000 athletes in all sports had qualified for Tokyo 2020 before the postponement of the Games.

Courtesy of the IABA