Guyana Boxing Association — Changing courses to retain its course

Jan 03, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....o-retain-its-course/

By Michael Benjamin
The year 2016 is now behind us and after experiencing a roller coaster ride, the collective sighs of relief emanating from administrators of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) are indeed deafening. Despite this the officials of the GBA will be required to change courses even as they continue along the course of development.

Boxing has experienced mixed fortunes during a year of hectic activity. Last year has been an Olympic year and whiles the many challenges and sacrifices of local boxers have not translated into commendable world accolades at that level, those pugilists have closed off the year on a high after dominating the recently concluded Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament in Bridgetown, Barbados with 10 gold medals and one silver.
While the uninitiated would want to chuck a chest in the air over this achievement, those boxing pundits of the late seventies and early eighties would scoff while reminiscing on the feats of their counterparts of that era.
Those knowledgeable of the sport, and who would have experienced the gripping encounters of boxers the likes of Darius Forde, the late Winston Richards and John ‘The Beast’ Brummell, Anthony Barrow and the Davis clan, Robin, Forbes and Pascal among other notable punchers, would hardly be impressed by what passes for action packed encounters these days.
Notwithstanding the disparity in standards, one might just be tempted to reduce the caustic tone especially since many other changes within the (amateur) boxing structure might have contributed to a large extent on the existing status quo.

There is a popular idiom that say, ‘all’s well that ends well’ and the fact that our amateur boxers have ended the year on a high, as the champions of the Caribbean, might suggest that indeed, the situation is not as dire as the naysayers may want to project. However, when one examines the quality of local boxers as against their (international) returns, the reality should be sobering and propel GBA administrators to employ corrective initiatives if they are truly resolute on retaining our rich boxing tradition.
There is absolutely no doubt that our boxers are the best in the Caribbean. This was established since 1985 when the sport was introduced at the Carifta Games in Bridgetown Barbados and Guyana came away with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze. Since then, our pugilists have dominated at this level, that is, until latter eighties and early nineties when Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, to a lesser extent began to assert themselves by taking the honours during those years.
Shortly after Guyana’s success at the Carifta Games, the (Caribbean) boxing administrators enacted the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) boxing tournament which, in essence, was merely a new tab for the Carifta Games. It appears that the CABA failed to impress the hierarchy of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and after a few years, devoid of the requisite support of the world body, the CABA tournament died a natural death.
It was around that time that the Presidents of the territorial associations felt obliged to pool their ideas and other resources towards the resuscitation of the glory days of Caribbean boxing. President of the Barbados Amateur Boxing Association, Anthony Jones, had voiced concern over the state of affairs and had said that the time has come for territorial associations to unite towards a common cause if they are to see improvement among Caricom nationals at high profiled tournaments.
Determined to improve the lot of boxers in the Caribbean, Mr. Jones said that he had attempted to strengthen the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) but was given the thumbs down by officials of the parent body, the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). Mr. Jones said that after disbanding the entity, AIBA did an about turn and said that permission would be granted for reenactment provided that CABA officials were prepared to meet the costs and criteria. “We were being asked to foot an astronomical bill and even before that, we were required to engage in a bidding process among Caribbean countries,’ explained the Barbados boxing president. He said that upon closer examination no Caribbean country could have conformed to such draconian criterion and so the CABA became defunct.
Mr. Jones had had also adumbrated a return to the old strategies where the Caricom region would pool resources and organize domestic tournaments to garner valuable activity for the boxers and thus, more lucrative engagements.
He had purported that the fortunes of Caribbean pugilists would only be improved when the territorial associations lock horns towards one cause. His views had instigated several meetings among the Caricom (boxing) family following which the Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament was born.
Guyanese dominance at this tournament has served to endorse the wider belief that we have reached our zenith at the Caribbean level and must now extend our dominance to further territories. President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, is cognizant of this and has uttered similar sentiments upon the return of the successful Barbados entourage. Common sense and a developmental mind dictate that he must now cast his vision to the Latin Americas to ascertain a more realistic picture of the quality of local pugilists.
Further, recent efforts to bridge the foreign policy gap between Cuba and the USA may just present an opportunity for broad based exchange programmes among those superior nations as was enjoyed during the late seventies/early eighties. The time might also be just right to revitalize the Cuba/Guyana exchange programmes of that era. One cannot help but notice that Guyanese boxers were most prolific during the period of keen interaction with the Cubans at the Cardin Games as witnessed by Michael Parris’ Olympic bronze medal feat in Moscow 1980.
Amidst such speculation, nothing will be achieved devoid of the requisite finance and there must be efforts by the GBA administration to bridge this void. (Junior) Minister of Sports, Nicolette Henry, recently disclosed that Government has allocated a larger portion of the budget towards sports development. What she did not say was how those funds would have been disbursed. Obviously, some associations will be in greater need than others and would definitely receive a larger portion of the budget based on their achievements and projections. Even amidst this reality, stakeholders must be informed of the method and/or systems utilized in determining financial allocation.
Former Minister of Sports, Frank Anthony, once beseeched the executives of the various sports bodies to submit their plans and projections for the fiscal year in order that he (Anthony) be guided in the disbursement of funds. Strangely, only a handful of those entities affirmed to the request.
To my mind, such a ploy should be embraced if only to provide the current subject Minister with a guide as to the funds needed for the individual association’s yearly budget.
Associations/ Federations must also responsibly employ methods and strategies to strengthen their financial base by fund raising efforts. It simply means that these sports entities must now place a stronger focus in this department and mandate a competent team to bolster their funds. These individuals will be required to employ robust fund raising and public relations strategies that falls outside the ambit of the routine Bar-b-Ques and take away lunches; these initiatives are way too run of the mill and seems to be the strategy employed by all of the competing sports bodies thus diminishing the profit margin.
Over the years, there have been instances of indiscipline and the disciplinary committee has been somewhat lenient, employing mild sanctions to those found guilty. However, recent allegations of gross indiscipline by a boxer and an official on the team to the recent tournament in Barbados, is still to be addressed by the GBA executive. Mr. Ninvalle must be cautioned on his approach to such a serious infringement of protocol and take a hands on approach towards a practical resolution; the cordial relations among the Caricom family could easily be adversely compromised.
When the New Year broke at 12 midnight, Guyanese, as is customary, would have solemnly uttered their resolutions. Amidst such expectancy, one would envisage the President and other affiliates of the GBA voicing theirs. Naturally, their wishes for a prosperous New Year would extend to the local boxers under whose charge they have been placed.
And from us here at Kaieteur Sport, we wish you a successful year while extending a hand of friendship for a productive year working together.