I will not descend to mudslinging but rather look at the issues

Jan 16, 2009 Sports

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Dear editor,
As a member of the media fraternity, I have adopted an inflexible stance against verbal confrontations with executives of Associations/Federations. Really, I see no need to adopt this mode of approach since I already have the scope and opportunity to deal with any issue that threatens to destabilize the development of sports locally.
However, a letter penned by the President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA), Affeeze Khan has forced me to renege on my position since this seems the appropriate forum to address the concerns of the goodly gentleman.
The contentious article ‘Something stinks to high heaven’ appeared in the Sunday January 11 edition of this newspapers and the corresponding reply in the Tuesday January 13 issue. Sadly, Affeeze chose to ignore the more salient points in the article I question and instead of addressing the critical issues, has chosen to engage in blatant character assassination.
Let me categorically state that I have no intention whatsoever of engaging Affeeze in a mudslinging warfare since to my mind I would only be engaging him in his territory and as a former boxer I know only too well that in order to win a fight one must firstly lure his opponent out of his comfort zone.
As such, I have chosen to engage Affeeze in an arena of academia since this is the platform I had preferred from the very inception.
If he feels misplaced in this arena or incapable of dealing with the issue at this level, he needs to take the spite from whoever may have been responsible for his educational tutelage, not me.
The article penned by yours truly was meant to provoke intellectual debate as a means of resolving the imbroglio within GABA.
It baffles me how such words as ‘Miscreant’ and terms such as ‘individuals who the GABA brought out of the doldrums of society’ and ‘want to bite the hand that fed them,’ would wend their way into an academic discussion of this nature. Many people have unfairly labeled boxers as unintelligent and crass.
It seems obviously painful that this tab has now transcended the borders to officialdom with Affeeze being the sole beneficiary.
Obviously, Affeeze subscribes to the view that success hinges on pure luck and it is a terrible crime to engage one’s brain before putting one’s mouth into gear.
Let me attempt to rake the obviously defocused Khan back to the crux of the discussion, which his obviously myopic insight has missed by miles.
I have proven, by dint of meticulous investigative strategies, that dictatorial tendencies have raised its ugly head within the folds of the GABA.
I can cite several instances where Affeeze had changed decisions arrived at by a majority for those that he feels comfortable with.
Was it not you, Affeeze that ordered that Carl Franklyn accompany a team of boxers to the Central American and Caribbean Games in Columbia in total contravention of an earlier decision arrived at after a legitimate voting process?
Do you remember Affeeze when I caught you soliciting funds on behalf of GABA from a Robb Street businessman and you informed me that it was none of my business? I can go on Affeeze but for now those two will do.
Remember Affeeze when I informed you of allegations that you were browbeating certain members so that you can have your own way?
Did you not admit this and other allegations of impropriety during our aborted meeting at the Kaieteur News Saffon Street office? Did you not storm out of a meeting with yours truly instead of staying to defend your ‘good name?’
Have I not proven your dictatorial tendencies? Paramount to all of this, have I not abided by journalistic principles and offered you a chance to defend the many accusations leveled at you before I went to press?
Instead of facing the situation like a man, did you not choose to abandon the forum where you could have dealt with the issue intellectually and fairly and then wrote a letter to my editor while employing bushwhacking tactics instead? Shame on you Affeeze! The best you can do to right this dreadful situation is to humbly offer your resignation from the noble position of president of GABA and then disappear into oblivion. Boxing, not Michael Benjamin, will be the beneficiary.
Finally Mr Editor I wish to say that my interest in this issue is purely partisan since I wish that the youngsters of Albouystown and Tiger Bay receive the very opportunities that I have received, through their involvement in the noble sport of boxing and to lift their lives to the next level through hard work. This can only be achieved through careful deliberation over their choice of leadership.
Mr. Editor, I have no control over the way the clubs vote and who knows, they may very well ignore my advice and reinstall him once again. I do not control the way they think. What I do know is that it will be a horrible day in boxing if Affeeze is reinstated into the noble chair of presidency of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA).
My conclusion was garnered from empirical data and therefore I can shout it out from the top of Mount Roraima.
I have said my bit and therefore consider this issue closed. Let me leave the amateur boxers with a caveat. A nation gets just the government it deserves. Good luck guys!
Michael Benjamin

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