By Neto Baptiste
Antigua and Barbuda’s planned participation in the OECS Boxing Championships slated for St Lucia this weekend has been cancelled.
The unfortunate development comes after failed attempts by coaches Anthony Severin and Khalid Shabazz to have the Antigua and Barbuda Boxing Association (ABBA) accept funding on their behalf from the American Boxing Confederation (AMBC).
Reports are that efforts to secure funding from the national association to send the six-member team to St Lucia for the event proved futile as the association indicated there were no funds available. However, the AMBC stepped in and agreed to fund the team’s travel expenses while the Ministry of Sports had pledged to pay for the accommodations.
The regional body however indicated that the funds must first be sent to the national association and then be disbursed accordingly. Both Shabazz and Severin, while speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show earlier this week, pleaded with the association to accept the funds on their behalf, claiming that the body was seemingly “pussyfooting” on the issue.
When contacted, President of the boxing association Len Mussington denied the allegations, stating that, at the time, he was trying to get in contact with the regional body to finalise arrangements.
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