Yassin delivers verbal punches to government
By Steve Ninvalle
Stabroek News
March 21, 2003
President of the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association K. Juman Yassin was halted from launching a full scale assault on the government on Wednesday during a press conference called to promote the Carryl Golden Gloves boxing tournament.
Yassin was at the time attacking the government for not doing enough to assist in amateur boxing when he was abruptly reminded by organiser of the Carryl tournament Mike Carryl that the conference was called to highlight the Golden Gloves and not to deal with politics.
The two shared the the head table with vice president of the Linden Amateur Boxing Association Roy Marshall.
Yassin said that his organisation was not able to secure a “single cent” from government to enable it to send a team to the Pan Am qualifiers.
In his lenghty reprimand of the government Yassin claimed that it is the responsability of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to help Guyana’s sportmen and women.
“They are being paid to ensure that our sportsmen and women get what they want,” Yassin said before Carryl cut him short.
The organiser then requested that Yassin stick within the realms of the press conference which was called to promote the Carryl Golden Gloves tournament.
Any other matter Carryl stated could wait for another press conference. According to Carryl an overseas based Guyanese who returned home on Tuesday, he was not here to deal with the politics of the sport but rather to get the tournament off and running.
Carryl noted that the GABA gave “little” assistance towards the staging of the tournament. However, Yassin responded by declaring that his organisation had done all that was asked of it by the Linden Amateur Boxing Association, through which the tournament is being run.
“We have tried our best to accommodate the LABA,” Juman Yassin, also the president of the Guyana Olympic Association said.
Sports equipment manufacturer Everlast has pumped approximately US$7,000 worth of sponsorship into making the Golden Gloves tournament a reality.
The sponsorship covers ropes, head gear, gloves, jackets for trainers, trunks and genital protective cups. North American Airline, Budget Car Rental and Travel Span have also chipped in with sponsorship.
Carryl disclosed that members of the United States Amateur Boxing Association will visit Guyana to officiate in the finals tentatively scheduled for April 19 in Linden.
The overseas contingent will also use the opportunity to scout for boxers to participate in an exchange programme with the USA.
The finals were originally set for April 19 but Carryl said that the recent increase in the amount of blackouts in Linden and the fact that the mining town has not shown keen interest when the tournament opened were the two major reason for reconsidering holding the finals in Linden.
“This is the building block for things to come,” Carryl said of the tournament. “The media have a pivitol role to play in reviving amateur boxing in Guyana,” he added.
The Golden Gloves will continue tomorrow at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. Commencing at 6 pm, Harpy Eagles, One Mile Gym and the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym will battle for honours.
FYF won six of ten fights when the tournament opened on March 8 at the Christianburg hard court in Linden.
