THE Hawkins household fairly accurately reflects the general uncertainty ahead of Ireland’s crucial vote on whether or not to leave the International Boxing Association (IBA) and join rival body World Boxing later this month.
Having originally mooted a mid-August date, the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) is now calling on clubs across the country to register for the August 26 Extraordinary General Meeting and have their say on whether Ireland should stick or twist.
A series of recent roadshow meetings crystallised the concerns that exist about the potential ramifications of joining World Boxing – formed in a bid to save the sport’s Olympic future – when so much remains unknown.
On the other side of the house, staying with the IBA could ultimately leave Ireland outside the Olympic tent in years to come. Of course, the decision does not have to be made right now, with Ireland reserving the right to affiliate to World Boxing at any time, as long as there is support from 75 per cent of delegates when the vote is taken.
Indeed, last week Canada became the latest country to announce that it is resigning from the IBA and joining World Boxing.
However, IABA leaders appear keen that Ireland is present at the inaugural World Boxing congress in November, with new IABA board of directors chair Niall O’Carroll and Ulster Boxing president Kevin Duffy among those to speak in favour.
Much soul-searching will be done in the time until boxes are ticked.
Experienced Holy Trinity coach Michael Hawkins – a former Olympic coach whose brother Gerry boxed at the 1980 and ’84 Games - is tentatively in favour of joining up with World Boxing.
His son Michael jr, also a coach at the Turf Lodge club, is sceptical about making the jump when such a relatively small number of nations are involved with the new body, which is still finding its feet following formation in April.
These are just some of the issues swirling around the heads of the Irish boxing community as D-Day looms, with pleas at some of the roadshows for more time to consider the matter – months rather than weeks - apparently falling on deaf ears.
“To me, the talk about getting in early and getting on committees is a bit silly,” said Hawkins sr.
“We were on every committee there was – coaching committee, youth committee – with the old body [the AIBA], but when it came to decision-making it was the Iron Curtain who ruled and that was it.
“Yet my feeling is to go with World Boxing. I think people will join when the numbers start growing… the fact that some of our neighbours are there is a good, solid start. If we all work together, it’s a good base.
“Because, eventually, you have to say enough is enough and take a stand against some of what we have seen through the years, and some of the decisions at Olympic Games and other championships.
“Everybody has so many questions – for example the money the IBA are pushing out to the World Championships for prize money, where is it coming from?
“Michael and I are coming from different sides at the minute, but we haven’t made our mind up on what we’re doing. We’re just looking at it all and trying to see where it goes.”
Among Hawkin sr’s main concerns is how Ireland can adequately prepare for a major event like the Olympic Games if affiliating to World Boxing results in suspension from IBA competitions, even in the interim ahead of Paris 2024.
“We’re in a bit of a chicken and egg situation,” he said.
“You can’t get to an Olympic Games if you’re not getting competition, you can’t win an Olympic Games if you’re not getting competition. At this point in time nobody’s really clear what we’re being promised, or what exactly we’re doing.
“There needs to be more clarity, because it is a huge decision for Irish boxing.”
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BOSCO'S ROONEY NAMED IRISH FLAGBEARER AT EUROPEANS
BELFAST’S James Rooney and Louise Joyce of Westmeath club Olympic have been named as Ireland’s flag-bearers at the upcoming European Schools Championships in Maribor.
Rooney took the 57kg crown at the national cadet championships back in June, winning on behalf of former club Gleann – who have since closed – before transferring to St John Bosco.
And the talented teenager is one of six Ulster representatives preparing to strut their stuff in Maribor, with Conan McSorley from Two Castles (48kg), Banbridge’s Paige Nickles (48kg), Cassie Henderson from the Phoenix club (64kg) and Immaculata pair Padraig Walsh (46kg) and Kai Dynes Murphy (52kg) all in action.
The draw for the tournament, which is being hosted by the Slovenian boxing federation, takes place on Wednesday, with boxing beginning on Thursday. The Irish team was in camp at the National Stadium In preparation for the tournament, and have just returned from a training camp in Poland with that federation’s schools’ team.
It is a first crack at major continental competition for Ireland this year, after the central council of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) took the independent decision to field a team at this tournament at its meeting in July, following a review of all federations contesting previous underage European Championships this year.
This review included the ongoing European Junior Championships, where competing nations include Ukraine, England, Scotland and Wales.
In a statement, the IABA said central council is “mindful of the fact that Irish athletes cannot contest against Russian or Belarussian athletes boxing under their own flag”, and wanted to ensure there was “as low a probability as possible of an Irish boxer being drawn against such an opponent”.
The IABA has called an EGM for August 26, where members are asked to vote upon two matters – to amend the current constitution “so that we have more control over our operations without constitutional restrictions, and a separate motion to decide whether or not to affiliate with World Boxing.
IRELAND TEAM
36kg: L Joyce (Olympic, Mullingar); 40kg: K Hodnett (St Joseph’s, Limerick); 42kg: Carley O’Herron (Rochfordbridge); 44kg: A Murphy (Crumlin); 46kg: E Archbold (Ballybrack); 48kg: P Nickles (Banbridge); 51kg: R Dossen (Olympic, Galway); 54kg: S Lawlor (Wexford CBS); 57kg: K Joyce (Clonmel); 60kg: I Hawkins (St Nicholas’); 64kg: C Henderson (Phoenix, Antrim); 70kg: A Lannon (Dungarvan); 40kg: R Finn (St Nicholas’); 42kg: C Guerrine (Sacred Heart, Dublin); 44kg: K Walsh (Wexford CBS); 46kg: P Walsh (Immaculata); 48kg: C McSorley (Two Castles); 50kg: J Donoghue (Olympic, Mullingar); 52kg: K Dynes Murphy (Immaculata); 54kg: D O’Toole (Enniskerry); 57kg: J Rooney (St John Bosco); 63kg: D Ryan (Drimnagh); 66kg: P McGee (St Conleth’s); 70kg: S Kennedy (Cabra); 75kg: J Ward (Monivea); 80kg: O Donoghue (Athlone); 90kg: J Fitzgerald (Dungarvan)
Team managers: B Lannon, F Keeling; Coaches: L McEnery, A Hennigan, P Simpson, G Kehoe; R&J: M O’Neill
