There was a mild drama on Wednesday at the boxing arena of the on-going National Youth Games (NYG) in Abuja as boxing coaches threatened to boycott their bouts.
The uproar was as a result of the continuous fielding of an ineligible boxer, Abdullahi Sani, from Kano State.
Sani had been fielded by his coach, Shehu Ubale, in a male 51 kg quarter-final bout against Egbulonu Nnamdi from Abia whom he (Sani) eventually beat.
But his ineligibility was not noticed then by his opponent and games officials.
However, Sani went on to step into the ring for a semi-finals bout against Lawson Shakini from Osun State, thus sparking off a protest by other coaches.
Amade Idenyi, President, Nigeria Boxing Coaches Association (NBCA), said that Sani’s coach, Ubale had violated the coaches’ agreement for the games.
According to Idenyi, the coaches had agreed to impose a five-year ban on any of their members who fielded an ineligible boxer at the games.
“Ubale now faces a five-year ban. Even Kano State may be banned from the boxing event of the 2014 National Sports Festival if nothing is done by the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) about the protest,’’ he said.
The coach also said Olusola Luke, the NBF secretary, had been duly briefed on the matter.
Mustapha Osho, the NBCA Welfare Officer, told NAN that the boxer too might be given a life ban.
He alleged that the boxer connived with his coach to dodge the screening which was the prerequisite for participation.
In his reaction, Ubale said that his boxer went through screening, saying “I wonder why he is being hunted’’.
He said the coaches’ action was in protest of the non-availability of his boxer’s photograph at the boxing arena for clarification.
“But it is the duty of the organisers to forward the photograph, not me.
“However, the coaches protesting should have taken their matter to the appropriate authorities, rather than disrupt my athlete’s bout,’’ Ubale said.
A screening exercise was organised for all athletes participating in the games with strict instruction to automatically disqualify anyone who failed to appear.
There are now indications that the Abia boxer, Nnamdi, who lost to Sani of Kano, would return for a third-place bout.
Sakini from Osun, who was up against Sani in the semi-finals would now move to the final.
But these pairings would be made possible after NBF must have decided on the issue latest Thursday, December 12.
