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Guyana’ participation C’bean Boxing C/ships in Limbo
TTBA worried this could adversely affect C/Ships
By Sean Devers in Trinidad
Guyana’s participation in this year’s Caribbean Boxing Championships which is scheduled for December 4-9 at the Pleasantville Sports Complex in South Trinidad is in limbo.
Steve Ninvalle
Guyana are the defending Champions and the Guyanese boxers, who are expected to depart Guyana on the morning of December 4, commenced a one-week training camp which started yesterday.
As the date for the Championship gets closer, the frustration of the Boxers and Officials in Guyana is getting bigger.
“The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association is now ambivalent about participating in the Caribbean Championship after government “came up short” on support for the team of 20,” informed GABA president Steve Ninvalle yesterday.
According to Ninvalle the National Sports Commission (NSC) could only contribute $500,000 of a budget of three million to send 16 boxers to the tournament.
Ninvalle claims that Government’s support amounts to that for two and one half boxers.
“To say that the entire boxing fraternity is disappointed would be blatant understatement. Air travel to Trinidad and accommodation is a hundred thousand per person. That $500,000 can only take care of two and a half boxers,” a frustrated Ninvalle lamented.
“We have to send at least 16 boxers if we are to stand a chance of retaining our Caribbean Title we worked so hard to earn last year. As it is right now Guyana may not make it to Trinidad,” Ninvalle added.
Sports Officials here (Trinidad) says that Sports is an important aspect of Trinidad and Tobago’s economy and Government and the Businesses Community here is very supportive of Sports.
Efforts to contact Trinidad & Tobago’s Sports Minister Shamfa Cudjoe proved unsuccessful.
President of TTBA and Vice-Chairman of the Caribbean Steering Committee, Cecil Ford reiterated that Trinidad and Guyana share an excellent relationship and it has grown since Ninvalle took over the helm.
“We are hoping that all things work out and a full team can represent Guyana. We need that, not only at the level of the Organising Committee of the Caribbean Championship but the entire Caribbean,” Ford added.
When Guyana won the Caribbean title in 2016, Ninvalle walked 100 miles in two days to raise funds to send the team after the Government failed to provide support.
The 11-man team returned home with 10 gold and one silver medal.
Guyana, CARICOM’s powerhouse in boxing, has won the senior Caribbean title twice since 2016 but was forced to relinquish the title in 2017 after insufficient funds forced the GABA to send a team of four to St Lucia.
Ninvalle said that he was optimistic of a full team representing Guyana following a phone call with Sports Minister George Norton last week but this new development has shattered his enthusiasm.
“At this time we can only turn to the Government for such support as our usually reliable option the Guyana Olympic Association has already committed three million dollars to assist in preparing a team for the Olympic Qualifiers,” Ninvalle said.
The Selectors, headed by GABA’s Technical Director Terrence Poole, have named 20 boxers, including Caribbean Champions, middleweight Desmond Amsterdam and Bantamweight Keevin Allicock for this year’s tournament.
Also included are the talented Jackman siblings, Abiola and Alesha, along with USA based Bantamweight Azeem Al Azeem who lost to Jullius Kesney in Final of the Terrence Alli Open which was used to select this team.
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