… International Goodwill boxing tournament opens
PRESIDENT of the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) K.A. Juman-Yasin, made a call to the Amateur Boxing Associations from around the Caribbean, to form an alliance which will ensure that regional fighters are better represented at the Olympic Games and other prestigious events.Yasin’s call was made last evening, at the opening of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA), GOA International Goodwill tournament which runs until tomorrow at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Hosts Guyana are joined by St Lucia, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago representatives in the event which is said to be important towards the fusion of fighters in the Caribbean.
Apart from Cuba, the Caribbean does not boast a bundle of medals at the Olympic Games as in the case of Guyana whose only Olympic medal came via boxing.
According to Yasin, should the associations from across the region come together, it would force the world governing body for the Amateur version of the sport, to be more flexible in its allocation to the amount of spots Caribbean, more so English Caribbean fighters, receive.
“I know that a few years ago, it was discussed but it fell through, but I hope that the few of you gathered here, come together and put some serious thought into this. But tournaments like these and exchange like the one we’re opening tonight (last night) is what is needed amongst Caribbean associations and the GOA will always be happy to make events a reality,” Yasin said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony lauded the GBA for initiating such an event, and echoed Yasin’s call for more unity among the regional associations.
Anthony noted “It’s been some years since something like has taken place in Guyana where you have top Caribbean fighters for any kind of tournament; so this is a bold step by the GBA to make this happen, I want to urge you all to do well and to make the best of this event.”
President of the GBA, Steve Ninvalle, said that his association is happy to see their hard work paying off with the hosting of the event, and with Guyana preparing to send a team to the South American Games in Chile and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Goodwill tournament is being taken very seriously, especially by the Guyanese fighters.