The man who, among many other great achievements, played a huge role in the success of Irish boxing, Gary Keegan, is set to leave his role as the Director of the Irish Institute of Sport.
The news is a massive blow for Irish sport and was announced by Sport Ireland this afternoon.
He is responsible for setting up Irish boxing's High Performance Unit in 2003, which produced countless medal winners at the Olympic Games in 2008 and 2012 as well as World and European Championships.
Keegan took up his current role in 2008 after the Beijing Olympics helping to establish the Irish Institute of Sport as a world leader in the preparation and development of high performance athletes and coaches.
He explained his reasons for moving on, this afternoon.
“My decision to depart at this time reflects my desire and appetite for a new challenge in my own pursuit of excellence.
"My intention moving forward is to launch a new high performance support offering for the world of business in early 2017.
“It has been a true honour and an absolute privilege to lead the Team at the Institute of Sport which supports Ireland’s best athletes, coaches and leaders to perform on the international stage.
"I want to thank my own management team and staff and the many athletes, coaches and leaders whom I have had the pleasure of working with and supporting.”
Keegan will continue in the role until after the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games and the eventual handover to his replacement in September.
Chairman of Sport Ireland, Kieran Mulvey, paid tribute to the "inspirational" Keegan for his pivotal role in the transformation of high performance sport in Ireland.
"The Institute has grown under his directorship, and the results amongst our top athletes working out of the Institute have continued on an upward curve.
"This reflects his own level of motivation, commitment and his ability to get the very best out of our top athletes.
John Treacy, CEO of Sport Ireland, thanked Keegan for his contribution to Ireland’s international success and his part in the opening of the new High Performance Centre at the Institute.
"This has been just one product of the planning, dedication and vision Gary has displayed throughout his time at the helm, and will leave a legacy that will impact on our performance on the world stage for many years to come."
