GOA head commends GBA for taking stance on Allicock “But we will not suspend his stipend” says K Juman Yassin

May 31, 2019 Sports

By Sean Devers

In January 2018 Caribbean Bantamweight Champion Keevin Allicock was among 30 local and overseas-based athletes and 13 coach

K.A Juman Yassin

es spread across 10 disciplines that were given a monthly stipend from Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) so that they could focus on their respective Sports disciplines
The 19 year-old Allicock has qualified for the Pan Am Games in Peru and should have commenced preparations with a training sojourn in Cuba where his training was set to run from May 1-23.
However, this week President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) Steve Ninvalle sent a letter to President of the GOA K Juman Yassin recommending that a ‘hold’ be put on this trip and to suspend Allicock’s stipend.
Allicock would have been accompanied to Cuba by National Boxing Coach, Cuban Francisco Hernandez Roldan. Ninvalle said Allicock has been delinquent with regards to attending training sessions and his attitude towards the task at hand is nothing short of lackadaisical.
In support of his point the GBA President informed that Allicock attended 12 of 30 training sessions held by Coach Roldan.
“Non-attendance at training leading up to any competition is unacceptable barring illness. Our conclusion is that if Mr. Allicock is unconcerned about his training in Guyana and treats it as unimportant then it is only logical that the same will happen in Cuba” Ninvalle wrote.
When contacted yesterday, the 72-year-old Yassin who was elected Vice-President of the GOA in 1992 before becoming President in 1996 said he commended the GBA taking such a stance.
“Back in March we meet and spoke to Allicock about his attitude to his training so we are aware of this problem. We commend the GBA for this stance which could only make Allicock a better person and we will put on hold on his trip to Cuba” Yassin said.
“Allicock has outstanding talent and the Cuban Coach thinks he can give Guyana an Olympic Medal so we are prepared to do whatever we can to help to achieve those goals but he has to want it,” Yassin said.
“The GBA will write us and provide all the relevant documents for the Cuba trip if they feel Allicock has improved his discipline and we will fund the trip” Yassin disclosed. Yassin said when the GOA offered him the stipend we asked if that was enough to take care of his Boxing needs and he yes.
Yassin said he hopes that young Boxer will get his act together quickly since he holds his future in his hands.

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