Funding problems knock out
amateur boxing tournament
PHILIPSBURG--The 23rd Caribbean Amateur Boxing Tournament is down for the count. The St. Maarten Amateur Boxing Association canceled the week long event scheduled to pit some 300 of the region's best boxers at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium.
The hotel turned away the fighters Friday evening as they arrived on St. Maarten as organizers had not provided guarantee of payment. "I really do not want to point a finger right now," said Bobby Ottley, president of the local amateur boxing association yesterday. "Right now I have to find a solution to this. It has left a bitter taste."
Many of the athletes, trainers, coaches and delegation members returned home over the weekend without a punch thrown. However, several teams remain stranded on St. Maarten. Team Grenada may have to wait until Saturday before they can depart.
"On behalf of myself and the St. Maarten Amateur Boxing Association board I want to apologize to everyone: the general public, the delegates and especially to the boxers who have trained so hard," said Ottley. "It was beyond my control."
The president went on to say, fight fans who have purchased tickets can return them to the original supplier for a refund.
The St. Maarten Amateur Boxing Association has been working on hosting the regional competition for more then one year. Originally organizers had planned to house the athletes in hotels in Philipsburg. The athletes would have been able to walk from their hotels to the sports auditorium.
As the number of countries confirming participation grew the decision was made to accommodate the 320 expected participates at the Maho Beach resort. "This was going to be the biggest CABA event in terms of participants," said Ottley. "It is a big blow for the island and boxing."
In addition to being the largest amateur boxing event ever hosted on St. Maarten, the tournament had been set up as a part of the Island's Olympic Day celebration.
"Government never promised financial support for the tournament," explained Commissioner of Sports Franklin Meyers. "I was told they (The boxing association) submitted a funding request a year ago. I never saw it."
Approximately three weeks ago the association submitted another request for funds. According to the commissioner the request did not include a budget, the association was notified of the missing documentation and no further action was taken.
The commissioner was contacted Friday in a last minute effort to save the tournament when the athletes were turned away from Maho. "The advice I saw indicated government would supply $49,000, half from tourism, half from sports," said Meyers.
It was not enough. The total bill for accommodations was $98,000. The tournament was canceled. The athletes were sent home.
