TT amateur boxers cry out for help

THE Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Association (TTBA) is pleading with the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Sports Company of TT (SporTT) and corporate TT to help local boxers attend various tournaments in the coming month.

A press release by the TTBA yesterday said, "The TT Boxing Association is in panic mode at this present time."

TT boxers want to compete at the AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships in Budapest, Hungary from August 17 to September 1. This tournament is of great importance as it is the final qualification for the Youth Olympic Games which is scheduled to take place in Argentina in October.

In addition, the youth national coach Rawlson Dopwell has been accepted for the AIBA Star II coaching certification course and cutman certification course examinations and is scheduled to leave on August 6.

Also, the 2018 Caribbean School, Junior and Youth Boxing Championships in Guyana will run from August 17 to 19. A TT contingent of more than 20 want to attend that meet.

The press release said that tournament is important to the development of young boxers. "This team is the nursery – the cradle for the future of boxing in the country – and these young boxers must be given every opportunity to realize their dreams. TT won four gold, three silver and one bronze at last year’s tournament and youth boxer Nickell Joseph was voted best boxer at the tournament. He was also selected in the top ten of the First Citizens Sports Foundation Awards (earlier this year). The TT Boxing Association has had no response from the Ministry of Sports or the Sports Company of TT giving any indication on what kind of assistance we would receive, more than the usual that there is no funding available."

The TTBA said they are trying to raise funds but more help is needed.

"We are once again appealing to the Minister, the Ministry of Sports, the Sports Company and the business sector of TT to please assist our athletes." To help the boxers contact 736-4715.

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"TT amateur boxers cry out for help"

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