THE Disciplinary Committee of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has provisionally suspended Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym coach Joseph Murray.
The 51-year-old Murray has been suspended from all boxing activities that fall under the auspices of the GBA until a disciplinary hearing is held.

A letter from the GBA to Murray, seen by Chronicle Sport, stated: “The Disciplinary Committee of the Guyana Boxing Association has voted to provisionally suspend you from all activities organised by and under the aegis of the association.
The suspension takes immediate effect and relates to your behaviour towards referee Richard Braithwaite, following a fight on November 17, 2018 between Alex Murray and Desmond Amsterdam during the Terrence Alli National Open championship.

The Disciplinary Committee will notify you of a date for the hearing of the charges brought against you, where you will be afforded a chance to defend (yourself) against the accusations.”
The letter was signed by Stacy Corriea, assistant secretary treasurer and dated November 22. A source close to the GBA stated that the action was timely.

“Some of the coaches believe they are above the law. Mr Murray is one of them and has continuously behaved in a disrespectful and vulgar manner. He has been warned several times but still behaves like he is a law unto himself. Referees have now refused to officiate in matches when he is in a corner,” the source said.

“It is not Murray alone, and I would hope that the Disciplinary Committee find time to sort out other members of the rogue crew as it does nothing good for the sport. They fail the boxers in the gym and want to blame defeats on bad officiating by the referees,” the source added.

When contacted, GBA president Steve Ninvalle assured that those who attempt to bring the sport into disrepute will be dealt with firmly and condignly. “I can assure (you) that there will be no sacred cows,” Ninvalle stated.

Murray’s run-in with boxing administrators dates back to October 2015.
On October 15, the former FECARBOX super featherweight champion was publicly thrashed in front of a packed National Sports Hall by boxing promoter Odinga Lumumba for flagrantly violating protocol during a fight between `Deadly’ Denny Dalton and Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis.