The Olympic boxing qualifier for the Americas originally scheduled to start from May 10 to16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina has been cancelled.
The qualifier which was cancelled via a Zoom meeting cited health and safety concerns due to the pandemic as record cases of COVID-19 continues to surge in Argentina and worldwide. This is coupled with the fact that there have been tighter travel restrictions and lockdowns implemented across the Region affecting the ability of teams to get to the event.
As an alternative, the Boxing Task Force (BTF) has restructured a pathway to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, this summer via a ranking system.
However, the ranking system could KO the Olympic futures of Guyana’s elite quartet of Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas and others around the Region.
The new qualification pathway for the Americas is now as follows:
Considering that only the boxers registered to compete in the Americas qualifier would have had a chance to gain one of the Olympic quota places originally at stake in the event, the allocation of the 49 athlete quota places (33 for men, 16 for women) of the Americas Olympic Qualifier will remain exclusive to the athletes registered for the event.
All 49 quota places of the Americas Olympic Boxing Qualifiers will be allocated via the BTF Rankings.
The reallocation of the 13 quota places originally due to be obtained at the World Olympic Qualifier and redirected to the Americas will be conducted only after allocation of the 49 athlete quota places of the Americas Olympic Qualifier. It should be noted that the registration of the athletes by their relevant National Federation and NOC to participate in the Americas Olympic Boxing Qualifiers will be understood as “participating in one of the Olympic Qualification Events organized by the Boxing Task Force” and serve along with the other criteria for the purpose of allocating such quota places.
“This is a difficult situation, but it is one that puts boxers first and gives athletes, National Federations, and National Olympic Committees, certainty ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo, 2020,” said Chairman of the BTF, Morinari Watanabe.
“The development of the situation in Argentina and across the region and the resulting travel restrictions to and from Buenos Aires, could have resulted in athletes and teams not being able to participate in the qualifier, which is a risk that could not be taken.”
In an immediate reaction, President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), Steve Ninvalle said “The Guyana Boxing Association is disappointed with the news of the cancellation. We were hoping that our boxers would have had a chance at competition for the first time since 2019. We however fully understand the serious threat that COVID-19 poses.
Ninvalle concluded by stating “We are yet to fully comprehend the complex issues related to the rankings and how it will work in this situation and will await the IOC’s release on who are the qualifiers for Tokyo.” (Emmerson Campbell)
