Johannesburg – The newly-elected president of the South African National Amateur Organisation (Sanabo), Siyabulela Mkhwalo, said he feels bad that amateur boxers did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics Games.
Team South Africa, which is preparing to compete at this year’s Olympics Games – scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 8 – will not include boxing.
Aspiring local boxers missed out on an opportunity to seal their places at the world’s biggest sporting event after the previous Sanabo administration failed to pay its registration fee on time.
They were unable to participate at the African Olympic qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal. For the second time since the 1912 Stockholm Games, there will be no South African boxer in the Olympic ring. They also missed the previous Olympics Games in Rio in 2016. Mkhwalo, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, said not qualifying for such big international event was heartbreaking.
According to the boxing administrator, they will start now to get the ball rolling in preparation for the 2024 Olympics.
“We feel bad that our boxers missed out on Olympic Games. This has brought embarrassment to our federation and the country at large,” said Mkhwalo.
“It is part of our plans this year to establish squads that will prepare themselves for the next four years. Sanabo’s focus is on 2024 Olympics Games since we are already out of the 2020 Olympics due to missing the opportunity to participate at the African Olympic qualifiers.
“Also, the world qualifiers that were planned for this year by the International Amateur Boxing Association were cancelled, something which dashed our hopes for the games. This, in essence, will afford South Africa an opportunity to get its boxers ready for 2024,” he said.
“A big lesson is to put boxers and coaches at the centre of our business and maintain good corporate governance. We have also recognised the importance of having strong and vibrant provincial structures.”
By Malibongwe Bhido.
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