(JULY 19) Boxing WILL be included in the Tokyo Olympic Games of 2020 according to the International Olympic Committee which issued a Press Release tonight including the full programme for all Sports in Tokyo.

There had been significant doubts, as we told you previously, as to whether or not Boxing would be included following long drawn out ‘disputes’ between the IOC and the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

As a result the AIBA has announced a series of measures designed to improve governance in their organisation. The Tokyo Games will for the first time include five women’s weights and this means a reduction of two weights for men. The AIBA had asked for a reduction in number of athletes per weight for women which would allow a full 10 weights for men but the IOC rejected this and insisted on 5 weights for women which goes but part way to meeting their own objective of “equality”.

The Executive Board (EB) also approved the Tokyo 2020 competition schedule by session, which will offer Olympic fans around the world gripping action across 17 days of competition.

"Tokyo 2020 put forward a competition schedule that focuses on athlete and spectator experience, as well as gender equality," said IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates. "The universal appeal of the session schedule, combined with the debut of several events and sports, will make for thrilling Olympic Games for sports enthusiasts everywhere."

Youthful and urban-focused events such as basketball 3x3, skateboarding, surfing and sport climbing will feature throughout the Games schedule. Sports will also be played in venues in the Fukushima, Ibaraki and Miyagi prefectures, which were among those most affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

It was also confirmed that softball will be organised as a single round robin competition, while baseball will feature a format of two groups of three teams, followed by a knockout phase.

Tokyo 2020 will now focus on developing the detailed competition schedule by event – which will determine which event goes into which session – in close collaboration with the International Federations and the IOC.

Last December, the IOC EB had already expressed major concerns regarding the situation within AIBA. It identified several specific requirements to be met by AIBA, particularly in the areas of governance, financial matters, anti-doping, judging and refereeing.

At the time of the Pyeongyang Winter Olympics IOC President Thomas Bach had said : "The IOC reserves the right to review the inclusion of boxing on the programme of the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 and the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," said Bach.

"We are extremely worried about the governance in AIBA."