Boxing In �Suicide� As Tourney Is Cancelled

Calistus Kolantsho | Monday November 20, 2017 17:11

Botswana Boxing Association secretary general, Lefiri Moremi wrote to clubs informing them of the postponement at the last minute.

Setlalekgosi told Monitor Sport that clubs made the biggest mistake when they replaced the previous committee “with people who know nothing about boxing”. He said it was a wrong move to cancel the championship.

“It is the first time in 24 years that the championship has been cancelled. The championship is not about money and sponsorship cannot be used as an excuse to cancel it,” he argued. He said the cancellation has financial implications as clubs had used their resources in preparations. He said the matter could have been discussed with clubs before cancellation. Setlalekgosi said the championship could have been held without prize monies or medals. He said performance comes before money.

“This is the downfall of boxing. We are losing boxers to professional boxing. Boxers had to go through 12 bouts to qualify and that was hard work. We cannot have awards with such a situation since nominees are decided during national championships. How would we award boxers? Based on what?” he said. EMG Boxing Club coach, Emmanuel Bravo Galebowe said they are devastated by the cancellation. He said they have not been told the reasons. Galebowe said clubs have written to BoBA leadership requesting a special general meeting so that they can be informed of what really happened. “They have not responded to our letter. All we see are WhatsApp messages suggesting that there should be a tournament next weekend. We cannot agree to a tournament. There is no formal communication,” he said. In the letter, Moremi said the championship had been cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control. “We wish to inform you that we have been engaging various stakeholders towards the preparations of the championship within reasonable time and we have therefore decided that it was in the best interest of the boxing fraternity to cancel the championship,” reads part of the letter. Efforts to get a comment from Moremi and BoBA president, Dr Thato Patlakwe were futile as their mobile phones were unreachable.