The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) stands ready to engage the new government in conversation on the way forward for the sport. Boxing has won Guyana’s lone Olympic medal, and according to president Steve Ninvalle, the association is eager to foster a working partnership with the current administration.
Under the guidance of Ninvalle, the Boxing Association has consistently updated its action plan, and is among the very few local associations that has made public a four-year plan.
In congratulating the newly-elected government, Ninvalle said the aim is to have a strong relationship with the administration to bring to fruition some of those plans.
“I know there is a lot of expectation as it relates to the sport discipline. There are a number of things that we would want to see, but I would wait until there’s a conversation with the subject Minister and we would lay out our plans,” Ninvalle said.
“Of course you know that the Guyana Boxing Association is maybe one of two associations that would have, in the last eight years, forwarded four-year plans to the National Sports Commission, and by extension the government of Guyana, and the Guyana Olympic Association.”
Ninvalle indicated that for varying reasons, all aspects of the plan have not been fulfilled.
“However, we would hope that the new administration, we can sit down and hammer out issues. It is no secret that boxing is a priority sport in Guyana, and I think if it is a priority sport that it should be treated as a priority sport.”
“We expect to have cogent conversations with the subject Minister, with that ministry and in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association and corporate Guyana, I think the sky is the limit for our sport from here onwards.”
Boxing has been widely regarded as the sport most likely to add to Guyana’s solitary Olympic medal, a bronze won by boxer Michael Parris in 1980.
To this end, the Association has been engaging in various developmental programmes to give local boxers the best opportunity to excel.
However, like other disciplines, the Association has had to grapple with limited financial resources to execute its lofty plans.
