The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has found itself again fighting off the ropes after it failed to meet a February 24 deadline to pay for accommodation and meals for a team of eight selected to participate at the Olympic Qualifiers in Argentina. President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, said yesterday that a request to government for support received a negative response while the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) had pledged US$ 5,000 to assist with the airfare.
“The National Sports Commission (NSC) said it was unable to assist at this time as it has no budget while president of the GOA Mr. K. Juman Yassin SC, AA had pledged US$5,000 for airfares,” Ninvalle said in a statement.
Accommodation and meals in Argentina is just over US$11,000 while airfare per person is currently US$1,800.
The GOA and the Government of Guyana had combined to send a team of four boxers to Cuba for a three-month preparation leading up to the qualifiers.
Ninvalle said that he recently dispatched a letter to Yassin seeking clarification after it was revealed to him that sister CARICOM countries had their entire cost for the qualifiers footed by their respective National Olympic Associations (NOAs).
“The boxing presidents of Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia and the list goes on, have confirmed that they are participating based solely on input from their NOAs. In view of this recent revelation, I have asked for a clarification on why Guyana seems to be the anomaly.”
The Olympic Qualifiers are scheduled for Argentina from March 26 to April 3. The Guyana Boxing Association has selected Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam, Keevin Allicock, Dennis Thomas and Canada-based Taveena Kum to represent Guyana.
The coaches are Terrence Poole MS, Sebert Blake and Francisco Roldan.
