A LEADING figure in the Belfast boxing world has hit out at the rising costs of medicals – insisting it is driving youngsters out of the sport.
Paul McCullagh comes from a respected fighting family in the city, and boxed for Ireland as an amateur before later becoming a professional referee.
In recent years McCullagh has turned his attention to helping the next generation of talent coming through after opening McCullagh’s ABC – however, he is finding that a growing number of aspiring young boxers are seeing their career between the ropes come to an end before it has even got under way.
All young boxers are required to have a medical card, signed by a doctor, before they are allowed to lace up gloves competitively, and the County Antrim Board currently offers four medicals per club at the reasonable price of £10.
But that leaves scores of others who must try and source their own elsewhere, with McCullagh saying prices can range from £70 up to £125, putting fighters and their families in a difficult financial position.
“The reality is that, for a lot of these kids, their parents can’t afford it; they’re not coming back.
“The County Antrim Board do their best, their doctors are working hard to do as many medicals as they possibly can, but they can’t do everyone - there’s 44 clubs in Antrim, so it adds up, and it’s a lot of strain on the one doctor doing it.
“I have 20 kids here in the club, I have to pick four to get a medical done [by the County Antrim Board]. So then you’re looking at whose parents are working and whose parents aren’t… that’s not right, and I’m sure other clubs are finding the same issue.”
McCullagh estimates that “three out of 10″ who walk through the doors of his club don’t go on to box because of the subsequent medical cost, and feels it is something that needs to be addressed.
“People just can’t afford that kind of money, especially if you have a family with maybe two or three kids all boxing.
“Now, to me, boxing is a good thing for changing kids’ lives, enhancing the community. If kids are trying to change their lives in a good way, and do something worthwhile, surely we should be encouraging that, not pricing them out of it?
“And, don’t get me wrong, my problem isn’t that the boxers have to pay for their medical - but what they have to pay should be realistic.
“I’m charging £6 a week at the club, our rent is £850 a month… I’m struggling to keep the doors open, but we have some kids who can’t afford to pay more than that.
“I just feel like it’s time somebody said something. There’s so much positive about boxing, and it does so much good across Belfast, but this is a real problem.”