The Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) is sticking to its guns and has refused to provide Commissioner of Police Henry Greene with a reason for the disciplinary action against boxer Ray Sandiford.
Following the suspension of the 2010 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) bronze medallist Sandiford, Top Cop Greene had requested GABA provide just cause for the boxer’s punishment.
Yesterday GABA president Steve Ninvalle said that GABA will continue to conduct its business without fear or favour adding that at all times persons must remember that the sport must always be the eventual winner.
Greene, earlier this week during his address at a ceremony honouring four police officers for their contributions in the sports arena including Sandiford, voiced his displeasure at the GABA not selecting Sandiford on the national boxing team to represent Guyana at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in India.
Sandiford, a policeman, is the national amateur featherweight champion.
Greene had asked for the amateur boxing governing body to state the reasons for the boxer’s four-month suspension especially in lieu of Sandiford being one of the two boxers who returned from Puerto Rico with a medal.
Sandiford, 24, lost in a lopsided semi-final match-up to Guatemala’s Juan Reyes for his bronze medal while Dexter Jordan, the other medalist, lost 3-8 to Jonathan Gonzalez of Puerto Rico in their men’s flyweight encounter.
Sandiford was among four members of the police force honoured for their contribution in the sports arena.
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) awarded Sandiford a commemorative plaque and $150,000.
Ninvalle said that the disciplinary committee of the association found just cause for the punishment handed down to Sandiford.
He said that after a report was submitted by manager of the CAC team Maurice Rajkumar a hearing was held with Sandiford last month and the boxer was told of his “infractions” that he committed in Puerto Rico.
He declined to mention what the infractions were but stated that the committee was fair in arriving at its conclusion.
He said that GABA is tasked with the mandate of administering the sport in a manner that will ensure that there is constant development and that the country is not embarrassed.
At this juncture, he noted, if these goals are to be achieved then the association will not be allowing outside influences to make the GABA renege on its decisions.