"Please approve funding for boxers," the T&T Boxing Association, being led by Cecil Forde is appealing to both the Ministries of Finance and Sports and Youth Affairs.
The funds are to be used to take the country's fighters to the Pan American Games qualifiers set for April 2 to 11th in Nicaragua. Presently the T&T boxing team which comprises Olympian Nigel Paul faces the predicament of staying at home, despite many months of preparation which started last year.
A release from the boxing association yesterday said: "It's less than two weeks away, but airline tickets have not yet been purchased."
Preparation for the Pan Am qualifiers as well as other Olympic qualifying events began soon after the National Championships in November last year, and it was followed up by the team's dominance at the Caribbean Boxing Championship a month later, at which the fighters won 18 medals (10 gold, six silver and two bronze).
Upon the team's return from the regional championships, the boxers were put in a live-in camp in Belmont at the association's expense.
Apart from Paul, the team comprises Michael Alexander, Aaron Prince, Justin Parris, Anthony Joseph, Andrew Fermin, Shakir Flemming, Tyron Thomas and Tianna Guy. Reynold Cox, the former national boxer is the head coach and is assisted by Rolston Dopwell, while Forde, is the manager.
Forde told Guardian Media Sports yesterday that it is imperative for his boxers to be at the qualifiers, as it can earn them individual rankings which will enhance their efforts of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan next year.
At present, Paul is ranked second in the region in the heavyweight division while Tianna Guy, the lone female boxer , is ranked 27th in the bantamweight division.
According to Cox, “Our boxers took part in the Independence Cup in the Dominican Republic,
an invitational in Guyana and just recently in a local card against regional opponents. The boxers
and coaching staff have been working diligently for the past couple months towards this
tournament, which is a very critical event in the lead up to the 2020 Olympics. We cannot afford
to be absent at this qualifier”.
Meanwhile, Forde said the airline tickets booking was cancelled by the travel agency last week Tuesday since no definite confirmation was received from SporTT. He said, “The closer we get to the departure date, the higher the cost of the tickets. Considering that the competition is a qualifier and not just an ordinary invitational, many countries are participating. Therefore, our team is at risk of not even getting the flights in time for the start of the event”.
The boxing boss called on their plea to be heard. The team is set to wing out on April 1.