For the second consecutive time, the South African National Boxing Organisation (Sanabo) for non-professional boxers has decided to withdraw the Free State team from participating in two of this year’s national championships at the last minute.
The provincial team was pulled on the eve of another championship, currently underway in Durban, which is scheduled to conclude on Thursday (15/12).
The championship officially started at the Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) on Saturday.
In July, a provincial team also withdrew from the youth and elite national championship staged at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Gqeberha.
The body’s provincial leadership cited severe budget constraints as the chief reason for the decision to pull their teams from participating.
The amateur boxing federation Sanabo organises national competitions such as the cadets, junior, youth and elite national championships for both male and female boxers.
The communication about the province’s latest withdrawal was shared amongst clubs on Thursday (08/12) – the day the team was expected to depart to Durban.
The province had 15 boxers and three officials who were catered for by Sanabo’s national executive committee.
Fusi Hlasoa, treasurer of the provincial body, said the Department of Education’s schools sport unit could only provide the team with transport to the event.
“We could not get any assistance for accommodation and meals, or attire,” said Hlasoa.
“Hence, a decision was taken to withdraw. This is the second year in succession the Free State did not participate in any national championships. This has resulted in non-selection or representation of Free State boxers for the national team that participated at this year’s Region V Games, staged in Malawi and held from 2 until 12 December,” said Hlasoa.
He added that the Free State Academy of Sport was able to assist with the staging of the interprovincial championships where selection is done for the provincial elite, youth, and junior squads, with both male and female contenders.
The academy is responsible for the implementation of the strategic objectives of the provincial Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
The Bloemfontein-based boxers who were supposed to compete in Durban are Oratile Molelekoa (12) Khumo Ditshidi (15), Pule Moloke (14), and Obitshepo Finger (15).
Their selection for the Free State team was based on performance at the interprovincial competition held in Welkom on 5 November.
