‘Reds’ Perriera supports GBA decision to discipline Allicock

Jun 03, 2019 Sports

Reds Perriera

Former chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC) in Guyana, Caribbean Cricket Commentator and Past President of St. Lucia Boxing Association, Joseph ‘Reds’ Perriera, has come out in support of the move by the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) to impose sanctions on their star fighter, Keevin Allicock.
Allicock, who won a silver medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, has qualified to represent Guyana at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru this July-August but has been delinquent in attending training and between the period of May 1-23, he only attended 12 of the scheduled 30 training sessions conducted by Cuban Coach, Francisco Roldan.
The GBA then wrote to the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), recommending that Allicock’s trip to Cuba to prepare for the Pan American games be put on hold due to his lackadaisical approach to training; according to head of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, Allicock was scheduled to already be in Cuba since the training was projected to last two months.
‘Reds’, the now retired veteran broadcaster who resides in St. Lucia, explained to Kaieteur Sport that such action which was taken by the GBA was good because it also sends a strong message to other national sportsmen and women that there is no short cut to success and there is a responsibility in being a national representative.
“I want to congratulate the boxing association for taking that principled strong stand because they could’ve easily brushed it under the carpet and he (Allicock) would have gone to Cuba and the Pan Am games under-prepared which would have surely affected his chances of doing well,” Perriera posited during a telephone interview with Kaieteur Sport.
The former sports administrator posited that, “I was extremely surprised to read of the situation that developed with Keevin Allicock, a young man who I met in Guyana, a man who I am very proud of and who has done very well so far at the national and regional level. It’s virtually a mystery why he has been so delinquent when there is so much in the offering for him, although I understand from my source in Guyana that his training attendance is almost at 100% since sanctions were put on him.”
Perriera congratulated the K.A. Juman-Yassin led GOA for giving Steve Ninvalle and his executive their full backing on the situation and stance they took which he believed, “Has brought about a change in Allicock’s attitude, commitment and responsibility.”
Ninvalle in an invited comment with Kaieteur Sport noted that since the GOA was asked to put a hold on Allicock’s stipend, which they decided against, but has put the trip on hold. “There has been a complete turnaround and we at the GBA applaud his improved attitude, attendance and work ethic. We will meet with the GOA to decide a way forward,” Ninvalle stated.
Guyana’s boxing team for the Pan American games are scheduled to depart for Peru on July 22nd. (Calvin Chapman)

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