Amateur boxing officials blank Potts

THE Amateur Boxing Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ABA) have rejected a request from several clubs for an urgent meeting. Instead, the issues raised by the clubs will be listed for discussion at the oganisation’s annual general meeting which will be staged next month. This was revealed yesterday by Cecil Forde, vice-president of the ABA in response to a letter sent to the governing body for amateur boxing by Buxo Potts acting on behalf of several clubs. However, Forde yesterday questioned the bona fides of the clubs who reportedly signed the letter claiming that they were not registered with the ABA. In any event he said, the organisation was not about to be side tracked with matters which could only cast a negative light on the sport when they have been working very hard for its upliftment. “We have been taking amateur boxing to another stage. Those who want to dwell on the negative will have to do it on their own,” Forde said yesterday.

He said that plans are underway for the staging of the annual general meeting with the incumbents led by President Mike Jarvis, Secretary Mario Robinson and Forde likely to stand for re-election. Forde said the ABA have been successful in persuading Government to construct a state-of-the-art gymnasium at the Hasely Crawford Stadium at Mucurapo for the use of boxers on the national team. “This gym will be opened next month and will help the boxers in their preparation for overseas competitions and when we host visitors,” said Forde. He also said the ABA are hoping soon to put into motion a plan to introduce boxing in schools, a proposition which has been put forward for several years but failed to gain ground. Now it seems closer to reality and will be aimed at curbing school violence and fostering an outlet for the natural aggression that many youngsters harbour but manifest in a negative fashion. Forde said by January the programme should be underway and is already predicting positive results.

“We are working to get things done not affect in any way the great strides we have made,” said Forde. Earlier this year the ABA were hosts for the Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) Championships which by all reports were successfully run. It was the first time in many years that the region’s top amateur boxers were participating in a major championships in Trinidad and Tobago. However, Potts has raised several questions about financial accountability after Government contributed more than $500,000 to ensure that the tournament took place. In the letter to the ABA, Potts also called for the permanent employment of top local coaches to assist the amateurs on a year-round basis. Potts said the clubs wanted to meet with the ABA officials but not in Marabella where the Cosmic Gym of Forde is situated but somewhere in central, north or east Trinidad.