Allister Welcomes Belated Focus on Sandy Row Boxing Club
27 September 2012
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:“Having worked with Sandy Row Amateur Boxing Club for many months I greatly welcome that – at last – the Club is having its case heard by the DCAL committee and having an opportunity to tell its story.
“I was, however, alarmed to hear a suggestion at the Committee meeting this morning that because SRABC are not affiliated with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association they may not be eligible to receive any of the £3 million funding package announced by the Sports Minister some months ago.
“It is patently obvious to any objective observer that the IABA has no interest in addressing Sandy Row’s concerns. Sandy Row has made repeated representations to the IABA and has never received any satisfaction. When they launched their report back in August the IABA claimed that they were investigating the matter yet a month later they have not so much as contacted the club!
“After the report was launched I wrote to the IABA in Dublin raising 13 specific points. A month later I received a dismissive one paragraph, two sentence reply which addressed none of the issues which I raised. I have since written again to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association demanding a satisfactory response.
“It would be outrageous and totally unacceptable for Sandy Row to be denied their fair share of the funding because they refuse to expose their young boxers to the torrent of sectarian and racial abuse which they have suffered in the past and I will be demanding clarity from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on the issue.
“It is the strong belief of Sandy Row Boxing Club that the only way forward is for a distinct Northern Ireland body to be established or for the Club to be affiliated with one of the boxing bodies in Great Britain. The current setup – which makes it impossible for someone from a club in Northern Ireland to box for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the Olympics and other international events – is totally unacceptable and discriminatory.”
