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GABA cashes in on help from North American Diaspora
DONE DEAL: An elated Bristol (left) hands over the cheque to GABA boss, Steve Ninvalle yesterday morning.
By Michael Benjamin
They say that when it rains it pours and for the new executive of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) there has recently been a torrential downpour. Just one day after one of its one of its Vice Presidents, Maurice Rajkumar pledged more than $300,000 towards the renovation of the Harpy Eagle’s Boxing Gym, Seon Bristol, a member of the Guyanese Diaspora in the USA and one of the founder members of the Guyana and North America Amateur Boxing Association (GNAABA) has made good on a promise made to the executives of GABA Friday morning last and solidified the deal to offset the expenses owed by the GABA to its parent body, AIBA.
The process started last Friday morning when Ninvalle contacted Bristol at his New York base soliciting the support of the GNAABA to regularize the affairs of the beleaguered association. Bristol had promised to speak with the other executives on the matter. As fortune would have it, Bristol made an impromptu trip to Guyana and yesterday morning, at the Main Street office of the GABA head, solidified the deal.
He has donated the required sum owed to the world boxing body, which amounted to approximately US$250 and included the affiliation fees over a two year period.
A former amateur boxer, Bristol who honed his skill under the late British Empire boxing contender, Cliff Anderson, said that his contributions to the sport generated from a promise made to Anderson many years ago. He said that just before he (Bristol) migrated, Cliff had beseeched him to remember the young boxers back home and render as much assistance as possible. It was this promise that has caused Bristol to continue assisting local pugilists.
Meanwhile, Bristol explained that a group of past boxers from the Diaspora in the USA had pooled their resources with the aim of assisting amateur boxers back home. He said that the ill fortunes experienced by GABA over the years have contributed to the lax attitude of the North American group and the promised assistance never materialized. The ascension of Ninvalle to the helm of GABA coupled with the election of new office bearers have inspired renewed efforts of the North American group and according to Bristol they are ready to support the initiatives of the GABA.
Bristol had accompanied two American based boxers to the Mexico staged Olympic Box Off in 2002 after the Guyanese contingent failed to raise the required cash for the trip. The two Guyanese representatives failed to get past the qualifying rounds but Bristol remains adamant that local boxers have always demonstrated world class acumen. “Pound for pound boxing has brought Guyana the most international glory yet the support rendered to local pugilists has not been on par with their contributions,” said Bristol. He feels that much should be given towards the development of the sport. “Unfortunately, this has not been happening,” he lamented.
Mr. Ninvalle expressed delight at Bristol’s input and informed the press that the gesture is by no means isolated but is an indication of the beginning of harmonious relations between the North American group and the local association. Bristol returned to the USA this morning.
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