Boxers abscond after box-offs
- Crandon, Watkins, jump ship while intransit in Miami
By Michael DaSilva
Stabroek News
April 16, 2003
Local amateur boxers Dwayne Crandon and Eusi Watkins `jumped ship’ while being intransit in Miami after their unsuccessful participation at the Pan American Box-Off in La Paz, Mexico.
President of the Guyana Olympic Association Juman Yassin, while addressing members of the media at a press conference yesterday, said Crandon and Watkins “jumped ship. They absconded in Miami and left us in a state of shame. I feel very depressed and very hurt”.
A committee has been appointed to investigate the matter and is expected to submit their findings two weeks after their first meeting.
Crandon, Watkins and Ryan O’Neil represented Guyana at the Pan American Box-Off in Mexico. They were accompanied by manager/coach Lennox Daniels. The latter two returned to Guyana on April 5.
Initially five boxers, a manager and a coach were selected for the Box-Off, however, two boxers and the manager - Jimmy Ramnarayan - were denied US visas.
According to Yassin, the three were granted visas along with Daniels and arrived in Mexico on March 26. Crandon fought first and lost his light welterweight bout to Gregory Michelle of Haiti, O’Neil lost to Junior Greenidge of Barbados in a middleweight contest and Watkins lost his heavyweight bout to a Brazilian by a TKO.
Yassin said Daniels reported that the team departed Mexico on April 3, and arrived in Miami at 8.08pm the same night. “Unfortunately, for GABA (Guyana Amateur Boxing Association) and Guyana, Watkins and Crandon `jumped ship’” Yassin lamented.
He continued “These two heartless and ruthless young men created hardship for other young (Guyanese) athletes.”
The cost of sending the team to Mexico amounted to US$6,696 and this figure was borne by the GOA and not the GABA.
According to Yassin, Daniels returned to Guyana on April 5 and informed him of situation.
It is Yassin’s view that other local athletes will find it hard securing a US visa. “It is already difficult for young athletes to get visas and now it will be even more difficult” Yassin opined.
“The day before the team travelled to Mexico, I invited them and the coach to private dinner at my home, there we sat and talked, and I remember vividly, pleading with them not to `jump ship’. I advised them if they don’t come back, they will affect others. They promised to return, but lo and behold, Crandon and Watkins `jumped ship” Yassin stated.
According to Yassin, Daniels reported the matter to the Miami Police before returning to Guyana.
According to Daniels’ report, the three boxers were left at a section of the airport while he (Daniels) tried to locate the BWIA office, but when he returned, Crandon and Watkins were missing. O’Neil however informed him that the two had left to purchase something.
The committee to investigate the matter will be headed by former GOA president Rudolph Harper, and will include Charles Woon-A-Tai and Noel Adonis.
Yassin said he is still to make contact with Adonis.
Daniels’ report will be handed over to Harper shortly.
Yassin said “as a result of the `stab in the back’, Guyana will not be able to participate in the Caribbean Champion-ships or the third Pan Am Box-off slated for Columbia. He later indicated that for Guyana to participate in the two games funds will have to be made available by the government or the private sector. But he made it clear that he will not solicit funding after what has happened.
