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A decision most foul

Nov 09, 2010 Editorial

There should be a limit to nationalism. People should not be proud, though, when people take that nationalism to the point of cheating.
And cheating it was when the judges awarded a fight to local boxer, Leon Moore, when it was clear to all that he had lost to his Venezuelan opponent.
People knowledgeable about boxing would recall some great fights involving other Guyanese where the fights were close but because the Guyanese failed to finish strong they lost.
Patrick Forde missed becoming Guyana’s first world champion when he failed to finish strongly against Salvador Sanchez. To his credit, Sanchez, who is now dead (he died in a car crash) was hesitant to accept the decision.
Then when Terrence Alli (Halley) fought for the world title against Jose Luis Ramirez, he too lost when he failed to finish strongly. The fight went against him. That one was in France.
So we come to Guyana where Moore fought the Venezuelan Breilor Teran. Moore appeared to have done well in the early rounds but when it mattered he kept getting knocked on his butt. He was soundly beaten. Some say that he was knocked out because the referee had reached the maximum count but failed to signal the end. The referee, too, is Guyanese.
Such things leave a bitter taste in the mouths of spectators and fighters alike. They also create precedents because Guyanese going to Venezuela to fight can expect the same treatment and the sport will suffer.
National pride is something but when it is maintained through dishonesty then it becomes an embarrassment. In some countries serious action is taken of such blatant dishonest acts.
In the very field of boxing judges who went the extra mile to hand down a hometown decision ended up being banned for life, never to officiate at another bout.
On Saturday, among the crowd was the Head of State. He would have seen the efforts to which people could go to tarnish the reputation of the country even if they wish to boost the reputation of one of their own.
Countries are known for many things. Some are known for adherence to the rule of law, some for dictatorial practices, some for tolerating corruption and dishonest acts and some for being strong both financially and militarily.
The latter, though, also need to honour the basic tenets of democratic societies. Such is the difference between countries like the United States and China.
There are serious disadvantages in what some of our officials passed for nationalism. The country’s reputation as a corrupt state will go far and wide.
No proper boxer will come to Guyana for fear of doing his best and actually winning, only to have his reputation tarnished by unsympathetic judges. This will seriously affect local boxers who at this time are not good enough to attract the eyes of international promoters.
There is more to all this. Locals will not support the cards sponsored in Guyana because they will know before hand that the local lad will win even if he is knocked out as was Leon Moore on Saturday night.
The shame still lingers. When even die hard Guyanese could rise to protest the decision one must stop and take note of how serious Guyanese take fair play. We do not mind losing when we are beaten fair and square.
This fight now leaves a sour taste in the mouths of fans and has created embarrassment for those of us who must relate with the international community. Venezuela is home to numerous Guyanese.
Our judges, in their exuberance to award a hometown decision, have exposed these people to a measure of hostility, especially since the fight was televised locally and since electronic copies are now readily available.
Gone are the days when such decisions could only have been transported by word of mouth. Evidence abounds and readily so.
We now expect the local boxing board to do the right thing. Sanction those judges. If that is done we may resurrect some measure of pride.

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