LONDON British doctors hit out at the decision on Thursday to allow women's boxing at the London 2012 Olympics, saying it was a dangerous sport that should not be promoted on such a high-profile, lucrative stage.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave women's boxing the nod at a meeting in Berlin.

But the British Medical Association (BMA) said the inclusion of women's boxing at the 2012 Games was 'likely to encourage more people to take up this dangerous sport'.

'Irrespective of their gender, during the course of a fight, boxers can suffer acute brain haemorrhage and serious damage to their eyes, ears and nose,' a spokesman said.

'Throughout their career, boxers will receive thousands of blows to the head. Each blow received results in the brain being shaken within the skull.

'The cumulative affect of a lifetime in the ring can be irreversible brain damage. Unlike other sports the aim of boxing is to inflict bodily harm on an opponent. It should play no part in a modern Olympic Games.'

The 2012 Olympic boxing events are scheduled to be held at the ExCeL exhibition centre in east London's docklands. It hosted the G20 summit of world leaders in April.

'Today's best boxers fight their way to the top through a combination of strength and skill,' says the London 2012 website.

'Boxing is a great way to get fit and learn a new set of skills.'

Peter McCabe, the chief executive of brain injury association Headway, said he was 'deeply concerned and disappointed' by the announcement.

'Introducing women's boxing at the Olympics will simply serve to glamorise a dangerous and irresponsible sport to a new audience and lead to more young women putting their health at risk,' he said.

'Headway is committed to helping people improve their lives after sustaining brain injuries and sees first-hand the devastating effects that it can have. We are equally determined to prevent more people needlessly risking their health by boxing.'

Paul Flynn, a lawmaker in Britain's governing Labour Party and a former boxer, said the decision was 'foolish'.

'I'm very disappointed to see it's being presented as something to do with women's rights,' he said.

'If anyone still believes boxing is a healthy sport there's two words for them - Muhammad Ali.'

Legendary American fighter Ali, a former world heavyweight champion, suffers from Parkinson's Disease, which many believe is a brutal legacy of his time in the ring.

Meanwhile, British fighter Amir Khan, an Olympic silver medallist in 2004, said shortly before the announcement 'Deep down I think women shouldn't fight. That's my opinion.

'When you get hit it's very painful. Women can get knocked out.'

But he also told the BBC 'I am going to be supportive. I'll be cheering on the British fighters and hoping they win the medals.'

England women's coach Mick Gannon expects the popularity of women's boxing to now increase.

'What we'll see now is young ladies knocking down the doors at boxing gyms,' he said.

'It is already the fastest-growing sport in England. Numbers-wise it has increased by about 700 per cent in five or six years.'

'There is the dinosaur brigade who say women should be at the kitchen sink but modern society doesn't work like that. Women's boxing is here to stay.' —AFP