There can be no question about which sport has brought most prestige to Ireland on an international scale - namely boxing. After Ireland entered the Olympic movement as a separate entity in 1924 in Paris, boxers have won nine Olympic medals - one gold, three silver and five bronze. No other sporting discipline can approach that record.

The Irish medal winners are Michael Carruth (Barcelona gold 1992), John McNally (Helsinki silver 1952), Fred Tiedt (Melbourne silver 1956, Wayne McCullough (Barcelona silver 1992), Johnny Caldwell, Freddie Gilroy, Tony ("Sox") Bryne - all (Melbourne bronze 1956), Jim McCourt (Tokyo bronze 1964) and Hugh Russell (Moscow bronze 1980).

Irish boxers have also won World Championship bronze medals, namely Tommy Corr (Munich 1982), Michael Carruth (Moscow 1989), Damien Kelly (Tampera 1993) and Stephen Kirk (Budapest 1997).

No fewer that 30 Irish boxers have won European Senior Championship medals - five gold, three silver and 22 bronze. For the record the gold medallists were Jimmy Ingle and Paddy Dowdall (Dublin 1939), Gearoid O Colmain (Dublin 1947), Maxie McCullough (Oslo 1949) and Paul Griffin (Gothenburg) 1991.

In the Commonwealth Games, a tough tournament to win, Irish boxers have won seven gold medals namely Terry Milligan (Cardiff 1958), Jim McCourt (Kingston 1962), Barry McGuigan and Gerry Hamill (Edmonton 1978), Wayne McCullough (Auckland 1990), Neil Sinclair and Jim Webb (Victoria 1994).

By any sporting standards that is a highly impressive record for such a small country and does not take into account the exploits of amateur boxers who later joined the professional ranks and brought distinction such as Rinty Monaghan, Johnny Caldwell, Barry McGuigan, Steve Collins, Dave "Boy" McCauley and Wayne McCullough - the list is endless. What a shame it would be, therefore, if Irish boxing were not to be represented in the Sydney Olympics which, as things stand at present, is a looming possibility. This situation has been brought about by matters far beyond the control of either the Irish Amateur Boxing Association or, indeed, the Olympic movement itself.

Political events in what used to be the Soviet Union and elsewhere in Eastern Europe as well as in Africa and Asia led to a situation which crowded the Olympic boxing calendar. Suddenly the united Soviet Union became several different countries all joining the Olympic Movement and claiming equal rights with Russia to such an extent that a limit had to be imposed on the number of entries accepted and a series of qualifying tournaments needed to be instituted with a limit of 32 boxers confirmed for each weight. This has greatly challenged the possibility of Irish boxers getting through and there are only three qualifying tournaments left just now - all of them in March and early April. Competition therefore for places in the Sydney Olympics is fierce and Irish opportunity is going to be very limited. All of which is a great pity. For many years the IABA was going through traumatic times with internal strife tearing the association apart. Thankfully, to a great extent, this did not have any great impact on the boxers or their handlers and the rewards were well deserved and earned when Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough won gold and silver medals respectively in Barcelona in 1992.

Since then, the internal politics within the IABA have cooled down considerably under the calming influence of Brendan O Conaire, the current president and calmer waters have been reached.

In addition it was announced this week that a sum of £1.3 million was being made available to the IABA from National Lottery funds for the replacement of the roof on the National Stadium as well as other badly needed improvements. Already, out of their own funds, the IABA have completed the work on the excellent gymnasium in what was previously the "gun room" at Griffith Barracks and the association would now appear to be in its strongest situation for some years. There is a reasonably steady income from the Ringside Club towards the back of the main stadium where social functions are catered for and where two bars can be put at the disposal of people wishing to have events such as 21st birthday parties, without having to go to the expense of hiring expensive hotels.

The announcement of the National Lottery grant to the stadium for physical improvements to the 60-year-old structure is to be greatly welcomed and one can only wish Irish amateur boxing a bright future.

In those circumstances it would be nothing short of tragic if Ireland were not to be represented at the Sydney Olympics. Should that happen it would be the first time that Irish boxers were not involved since political matters interrupted the Irish participation in the Berlin Olympics and the 1940 Games were cancelled because of World War II.

All Irish boxing supporters can now hope for is that a small but strong contingent will manage to qualify for Sydney and repeat what Irish boxers did in Australia in 1956 when a silver and three bronze were won to be capped only by the historic win of Ronnie Delany in the 1,500 metres on the track.