Ninvalle optimistic of boxing’s presence at 2020 Olympics

…votes against IOC’s request for reduced male categories

By Akeem Greene

Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle is on the positive side of the fence as it relates to the lifeline of boxing at the Olympic Game and particularly the 2020 Games scheduled for Tokyo.
“If you are asking me if I think boxing will not be included I would say no, I don’t see it not being a part of the Games; I am very optimistic this issue would be rectified through rigorous work by both parties and a compromise will meet,” Ninvalle told Guyana Times Sport on Monday.

The questions surrounding the sport’s presence at the prestigious Games stems from an online article appearing on Sunday. According to an article published by Reuters, “Boxing could be knocked out of the 2020 Tokyo Games if the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is not satisfied problems with the sport’s finances and governance are sorted out, IOC President Thomas Bach warned.”
However, according to Ninvalle the issue is not alone based on the finically instability of International Boxing Association (AIBA) but the fact that the IOC wants the association to once again reduce the number of male divisions and increase the female.
“IOC has been asking among other things for AIBA to reduce the amount of male divisions and increase the amount of female, the entire congress has no problem with the increase in female division but rather decrease in male divisions,” the AIBA Executive Member explained.

He added, “We would decrease divisions a couple years ago; I think two of the divisions that were being considered to be removed were 49 kg and 52 kg and if those come out it means that [Keevin Allicock] one of our best prospects for I Olympic medal would not make it.”
Boxing has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since its introduction to the programme at the 1904 Summer Olympics, except for the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm because Swedish law banned the sport at that time. The 2008 Summer Olympics were the final games with boxing as a male only event. Since the 2012 Summer Olympics women’s boxing is part of the programme.
With the strong history of strength for male boxing, IOC’s request has been meet with strong opposition.
“Out of the 109 countries present at Congress [held January in Dubai] it was a unanimous decision not to remove the categories.”
He continued, “We signalled to the IOC, we are willing to compromise and bring some parity as it relates to the male and female divisions; female boxing only became and Olympic spot in 2012 and it would be hard to bring it in line with the males who have been since the early 1900s.”
The GBA boss further highlighted the population of female boxers are quite small especially in the Caribbean but they will attempt through discourse to find a compromise.