BOXING By Rawle Toney

THE Government of Guyana, through the National Sports Commission (NSC), along with Guyana Olympic Association (GOA), have once again teamed up to aid the four boxers who are left in Cuba, following the closure of the country’s airports in their efforts to contain the COVID-19 virus in Guyana.

On Friday, Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) president Steve Ninvalle made a call to NSC and GOA, for their assistance for the four boxers – Keevin Allicock, Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas – who were on a prolonged training stint in Cuba, ahead of their now-cancelled Olympic Qualifiers tournament, which was scheduled for March 26 to April 4 in Buenos Aries, Argentina.

While Ninvalle told Chronicle Sport yesterday that the GOA had answered their call immediately and sent an undisclosed sum of money to Santa Clara to help offset unforeseen expenses, Director of Sport Christopher Jones revealed to this publication, that the Government of Guyana will be transporting the boxers to Havana, where they will be housed by the Guyana Consulate on the Spanish-speaking Island.

According to Jones, while all airports in Guyana will remain closed, efforts are being made by the Cuban Government to evacuate the scores of Cuban nationals, who were left in the country, as Guyana, like the rest of the world, upped efforts to combat and contain the dreadful Covid-19 virus.

Jones pointed out that “we’re told that an empty aircraft should be leaving Cuba anytime to come to Guyana and Government is putting systems in place to ensure that the boxers are given a place so they can come home.”

“We’re working closely with the Guyana Consulate in Cuba, and what is going to happen, is that we’re moving the boxers from Santa Clara to Havana, where we will take care of them. They will be taken care of for as long as possible by Government, until we can have them back in Guyana,” Jones pointed out.

Meanwhile, Ninvalle showered NSC and GOA with praise, noting that he’s grateful that the same two entities, who made their stay in Cuba possible, are the same two entities who are doing everything possible to not only assist in their unscheduled continued stay in Cuba, but also are helping in every way to get them back home safely.

Ninvalle also highlighted that he had only last Tuesday visited the boxers in Cuba, to get a first-hand experience of their lifestyle, and stated that he was impressed with their level of growth.

“I was surprised. I mean, I know the guys were focussed, but I was more than impressed. I’m extremely proud of those boxers and I know they would have done Guyana proud in the way they have been carrying themselves, how hard they’ve worked to get where they are; and I know they will do Guyana proud when that time comes,” Ninvalle said.

The GBA was left counting its losses in the millions, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC) cancelled the Americas Olympic Qualifier for boxing because of fear of the spread of coronavirus, following a move from the Government of Argentina to restrict international events in the country with immediate effect.