Boxing Association head touts structural development for sport

By Treiston Joseph

President of the Guyana Boxing Association, Steve Ninvalle, believes it is time a system be established for sport in Guyana especially with regard to the funding of associations by the chief stakeholders of sport.

Funding of sport has always been an issue for sport organisations in Guyana especially from a governmental stand point and even at the Guyana Olympic Association level. Ninvalle believes that sport bodies should be funded based on achievements rather than perception of the sport.

“We believe that they should have different tiers for sports, if you think…if you know these associations have the best chances of medalling at big games then that’s how it should be, I don’t believe boxing should be on the same level as tape ball cricket; we could look at it that way right,” Ninvalle reasoned.

In addition, Ninvalle dived into the possible outlook of a structure that has sport bodies at different levels.

“We should have a mechanism where we can identify our top five sports whether it be Football, Cricket whatever, and when these sports can come up to that level where they can compete internationally with these measures of success that they can also come up…they do it in the Olympics, I think Athletics, Swimming, Boxing and I think Basketball on a certain tier whereby they are paid more by the Olympic Association because of the television rights and how much people look at it,” Ninvalle explained. 

He added, “So I think the time is right for us to explore that option or proposal and have a basis whereby five or six major sport disciplines are put on this level one and then you have level two, level three and level four.” 

There is the popular belief that until a sports policy is actually constructed, only then will such issues be addressed in an effort to develop sport.