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Boxing Coach pleads for Sports Policy and Pension plan
Boxing Coach Orlon ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers.
By Sean Devers
NSC’s Hinterland Boxing Coach Orlon ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers is concerned about the state of affairs of Guyanese Sports Men and Women and is adamant that is time for a Sports Policy and a Pension plan for all Sports Men and Women to be implemented.
Coach Rogers said this was never addressed during the 23 years when the PPP/Government was in power and is disappointed that this issue continues to be ignored by this Administration.
“I think if a policy is set-up especially when sports personnel leave our shores it will be a great insensitive for them to look forward to when they return with success. A deal must be set out for them, especially when participate in big games like Olympics, Commonwealth, World Games, Pan American games, CAC and we will benefit much more because our Athletes, Boxers and others will go and ensure they Medal for their Country if they know they will be rewarded for their efforts….even if is a piece land or something of the sort to make their achievements memorable,” said the Berbician.
Coach Rogers is also looking forward to see a pension plan for all sports men and women and not just Boxing or Athletics.
“We need this for all sports because as a young individual flying your Country’s flag on your back and making your country proud, it feels really great.
But when you finish and you are in your 50s and 60s and older and you don’t have any academic background, no skill in Trade and any Business plan no Management skills because you concentrated all your and energy on improving your sport,” said the former Boxing Champion.
“What would happen there if the sport that we do has a pension plan, every month we can earn a salary for the years we put our energy on the line to represent our Nation instead of standing in front of any Market or Business place seeking a dollar and all we can hear this was Guyana’s best long jumper or Guyana’s best footballer or Guyana’s ex world boxing champion or Martial art specialist,” Rogers lamented.
“It makes my skin grow to see so many boxers, footballers and other athletes on the road who are not working or are now working with a security firm or as security with a private firm. I am talking about both male and female, but males mostly if we take a walk and ask most of our boxing ex champions who did great for Guyana what there are doing for themselves it’s all sorts of sad story you hearing,” Rogers said sadly.
He mentioned Boxers like Al Thomas, Michael Crawford, Jeff Roberts, Mortimer Cornell, Ray Jones, Evan Paris, Robin ‘Prince’ Lall, the late Ramesh Best, Terrance Alli, Keith Neil, Barrington Cambridge and Barrington Brown are all living less than comfortable lives.
“I am sorry to say but I know there is a lot more hardships in boxing that’s why many of our athletes give up their sport at an early age or if they want to make it have to leave Guyana,” Rogers concluded.
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