In another major boost for sports in the region the UAE Boxing Federation (UAE BF) has become a full member of the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and the Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) following the ABF general assembly held in Busan on Thursday.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Hamid bin Khadim bin Butti Al Hamid, Vice President of the UAE BF.

"The UAE BF got recognition from the ABF general assembly in yesterday's meeting in Busan after we gave them a full report concerning the UAE BF activities from its foundation until now," said Sheikh Hamid. "In addition the UAE BF got full membership in the ABF and the IBF."

The UAE BF vice president said that he met during the meeting in Busan with the GCC boxing federations representitives.

"I met with them and we discussed about establishing a GCC Boxing Orgnisational Committee (GCC BOC) so that boxing could spread and grow in the GCC countries," he added.

"Regarding that we agreed to declare the official announcment of the GCC BOC in our meeting in Doha during the GCC Boxing Youth Championship, which will be hosted by the Qatari Boxing Federation from December 18."

Sheikh Hamid said that he was optimistic of the future of boxing in the UAE.

"We began less than a year ago with six boxers in Abu Dhabi. Now we have 200 boxers in different categories – juniors, youth and seniors. We will open boxing clubs and training centers in Dubai and Sharjah and other Emirates in the coming months so that boxing could be practiced all over the UAE," he said.

"Also we achieved good results in the Qatar open boxing tournament held in March 2001 where we won a gold medal, three silvers and a bronze. We also took part in the Egypt open boxing tournament and the Arab boxing tournament which was held at the same time. We achieved excellent success by winning one silver and four bronze medals."

The UAE BF vice president said that time was short for them to take part in the Asian Games in Busan.

"We didn't have time to prepare well for Busan and some boxers were having slight injuries. But we will start preparations for the Asian Games 2006 in Doha and the Asian and Arab Champi-onships in the coming years," he said.

Sheikh Hamid said that the UAE BF will send the UAE boxing national team to Bosnia next year to train against the Bosnian boxers to gain more experience. "Also we will structure our domestic tournaments so that the boxers will be fit all the time without any break, which could affect their fitness."

Sheikh Hamid said that the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare is giving them all the support. "They promised to give to us financial support in the coming year, but now they are supporting us morally and this morale support helped us in many ways," concluded Sheikh Hamid.

The UAE handball team play their last match today against China to decide the seventh and eighth places.

UAE and China both finished fourth in their respective groups. China lost to Japan, Korea, Bahrain and drew with Kazakhstan in group A while the UAE lost to Taipei, Qatar and drew with Kuwait in group A.

The match will be held at Changwon gymnasium at 4 pm BT, (11 am UAE local time.).