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GBA expresses confidence in Ninvalle as he is returned as President
– ‘Home for Boxing’ in three years is priority
Kaieteur News – Steve Ninvalle, who is also the country’s Director of Sports, has received an overwhelming vote of confidence when he was returned as president of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) unopposed, when the held their Elections and Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters in Lilliendaal.
Steve Ninvalle, Seon Bristol, Dr. Marissa Parris
The President of the GOA, Kalam Juman Yassin, served as the Returning Officer for the elections.
The other persons elected to serve alongside Ninvalle includes: First Vice President, Dr. Marissa Parris, daughter of Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist, Michael Parris and Seon Bristol (Assistant Secretary/Treasurer), being the new members of the GBA’s executive Committee, Major Gordon Nedd is the Second Vice President, while Carl Graham is the third vice president, Stacy Correia is the Association’s Secretary and Dexter Paterson is the Treasurer.
The GBA President shared his vision for the sport, noting that the realization of the proposed ‘Home for Boxing’ is top priority on the GBA’s agenda.
Ninvalle serves as a Vice President of the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC), and has been influential on the world stage promoting for better fortunes from the world body for the Caribbean and other countries to access more help from the IBA to aid development programmes and improve the fortunes of those countries on the world stage.
The returning GBA president said that while a location is still being worked out, a timeline of three years is given for the completion of the first-of-a-kind in the English-speaking Caribbean.
The approximately $120M facility, when completed, will have a 20-room dormitory, kitchen area, and a state-of-the-art gym.
The GBA recently started the resuscitation of the Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis Boxing Gym in Albouystown, which Ninvalle said is being done by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and ‘friends’ of boxing.
Several gyms across the country are also earmarked for infrastructural development in 2022.
“We also intend on fostering a stronger relationship with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and the GOA, because without their support, we would not have been able to accomplish all the things we did, so that will be a priority,” Ninvalle related.
He further added, “We will look to provide more opportunities and refresher courses for referees and judges. At this point, we are schedule to have one referee/judge and an ITO at the AMBC Championships next year.”
In relation to the return of competitive boxing, Ninvalle revealed that the GBA is eying the month of February, as they seek to identify and prepare boxers for the AMBC championships next year.
He said that the returning GBA executives were challenged to work on decentralising the sport with the aim of unearthing some of the untapped talent out there, particularly females.
The International Boxing Association (IBA), formerly AIBA, is keen on seeing more female participation in the sport, both in the ring and in an administrative capacity.
“We have two females on our executive committee, and a number of women severing in other capacity. The IBA under president Umar Kremlev is making this mandatory, which I fully support,” Ninvalle said.
A new National Coach will soon be announced and a new development plan will be announced shortly.
Ninvalle thanked the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr for his support since coming into office last year, noting that the GBA is looking forward to their continued relationship in working together to grow and develop boxing in Guyana. He also heaped praise on the GOA boss, Yassin, for supporting all the GBA’s initiatives.
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