…Realisation of ‘Home for Boxing’ in three years is priority
Steve Ninvalle has been returned unopposed as President of the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections held on Monday at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters at Liliendaal, ECD.
Steve Ninvalle has been returned as President of the GBA
GOA President Kalam Juman-Yassin served as Returning Officer for the elections. First Vice President Dr. Malissa Parris, daughter of Guyana’s only Olympic Medalist Michael Parris, along with Seon Bristol (Asst Secretary/Treasurer), are the new members of the GBA’s Executive Committee, while everyone else would’ve previously served alongside Ninvalle.
Major Gordon Nedd is the Second Vice President, while Carl Graham is the Third Vice President. Stacy Correia is the Association’s Secretary, and Dexter Paterson is the Treasurer.
New GBA First Vice President, Dr Malissa Parris
Ninvalle, who also serves as a Vice President of the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC), highlighted that seeing the realisation of the proposed ‘Home for Boxing’ is top priority on the GBA’s agenda.
According to the returning GBA President, while a location is still being deliberated, a timeline of three years is given for the completion of this first-of-its-kind building in the English-speaking Caribbean.
The facility, which would cost approximately $120M when completed, would have a 20-room dormitory, kitchen area, and a state-of-the-art gym.
In the meantime, the GBA recently started the resuscitation of the Andrew ‘Six Heads’ Lewis Boxing Gym in Albouystown, which Ninvalle said is being done by the National Sports Commission (NSC) and ‘friends’ of boxing.
Several gyms across the country are also earmarked for infrastructural development in 2022.
“We (are) also (intent) on fostering a stronger relationship with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the GOA, because, without their support, we would not have been able to accomplish all the things we did; so that will be a priority,” Ninvalle related.
He added, “We will look to provide more opportunities and refresher courses for referees and judges. At this point, we are scheduled to have one referee/judge and an ITO at the AMBC Championships next year.”
As it relates to the return of competitive boxing, Ninvalle revealed that the GBA is eying the month of February as it seeks to identify and prepare boxers for the AMBC Championships next year.
He also noted that the returning GBA executives have been challenged to work to decentralise the sport, which he said aims to unearth new talent, particularly females.
The International Boxing Association (IBA), formerly AIBA, is keen on seeing more female participation in the sport, both in the ring and in an administrative capacity.
“We have two females on our Executive Committee and a number of women serving in other capacities. The IBA under President Umar Kremlev is making this mandatory, which I fully support,” Ninvalle has said.
A new National Coach will also be announced, according to Ninvalle, and a new plan for development will be formalised.
Ninvalle has thanked the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr, for his support since coming into office last year, and noted that the GBA is looking forward to continuation of the relationship in working together to grow and develop the sport of boxing in Guyana.
Yassin also came in for some praise from Ninvalle, for supporting all the GBA’s initiatives.
