THE Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) is attempting a novel way of acquiring funds for its massive Caribbean Development Boxing Tournament.Next week its president Steve Ninvalle would be in the United States with the aim of raising much needed finance for the tournament.
According to a GABA release, Ninvalle is scheduled to be in Doha, Qatar early in the week for the AIBA Extra Ordinary Meeting, and is expected to stop over in the USA on his return from the Middle East.
Contacted yesterday Ninvalle said that all angles would be explored in order to make the tournament a success inclusive of local and overseas fund raising activities.
He noted that the upcoming event would be the biggest held in decades in Guyana.
The GABA has planned the four-day tournament for next month that is expected to attract over 10 countries. The mega event is set for November 26-29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and has a budget of $6.5M. So far the association has been able to rise just about one third of the amount, mainly due to sponsorship from the Guyana Olympic Association.
The tournament is geared towards serving as nursery for the production of boxers for Elite competitions staged by the AMBC and/or AIBA, and to give technical officials of the region an opportunity to get much-needed practice in preparation for moving forward in the AIBA training programme
Already Anguilla, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, French Guiana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago have confirmed participation. GABA has invited top AIBA referee/judge Trinidadian James Beckles to run a five-day workshop leading up next month’s competition.
Beckles’ workshop is expected to whip local referees and judges into shape ahead of the Caribbean invasion. Meanwhile, association last statutory competition (National Open) is scheduled of October 29 to 31.
Boxers wishing to represent Guyana at the Caribbean tournament would first have to participate in the National Open.