Stranded boxers approved to return home, every effort being made to secure a flight

May 27, 2020 Sports

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) was on Monday informed that the four boxers stranded in Cuba have been given approval to return to Guyana. This information was given during informal discussion with the Director of Sport Christopher Jones, a release from the association informed. However, the issue of securing a flight from our sister Caribbean Island will be a challenge that GBA head Steve Ninvalle is pushing full steam ahead to solve.

Steve Ninvalle (centre) when he had visited the boxers in Cuba.

The release further informed that, To date the GBA has received no official correspondence from the Covid19 Task Force which was written to over two weeks ago. Nevertheless, the association has commenced efforts to bring home the mentally-drained athletes. All angles are being explored and no stone will be left unturned in what must now be viewed as national effort, as their trip to Cuba was with intention of representing Guyana at the AMBC Olympic Qualifier.
The GBA has now written to the Guyana Olympic Association and the National Sports Commission to render assistance in returning the four boxers to Guyana. These two organisations joined forces in order to send the team to Cuba and it is hoped that this union will create a passage for its return.
So far Light welterweight Colin Lewis, light heavyweight Dennis Thomas, middleweight Desmond Amsterdam and bantamweight Keevin Allicock have been stranded in Cuba for 68 days. Three of the four are breadwinners so their unintentional and extended absence has negative economical impact for their respective families. The GBA remains committed to bringing back home the quartet at the earliest possible time, the release concluded.