Parker wants motivational session for all
Joseph Parker won’t attend a planned Whanganui motivational session for school children unless it is open to all.
Parker and his team made that clear yesterday as the heavyweight boxer found himself unexpectedly embroiled in a controversy over the proposed visit to Whanganui High School.
A flier for the event said Parker was coming to give a ‘‘closed motivational session for Ma¯ori and Pasifika boys’’ and their dads.
Parker, just back from his loss to Dillian Whyte, seemed bemused by the school’s plans and wanted changes made.
‘‘I feel like everyone should be involved,’’ Parker insisted at a media conference in Auckland.
‘‘I see where both sides are coming from, but I feel like everyone should be involved. If we go down and talk to people, we want to talk to everyone.’’
Parker’s promoter David Higgins said they had been working through an intermediary and had been surprised to see the plan for the talk.
‘‘There was a visit in the works and no specific details had been signed off by us. We found out through the media about that specific detail,’’ Higgins said.
‘‘I want to clarify that’s obviously not a position we would support. We would like to do the visit because we don’t want to let the children down. But it should be inclusive for all genders and races from our perspective. So we are hoping it can go ahead.
‘‘It’s unfair to exclude females or other races, especially when Joseph might only visit that region once in five or 10 years. It should be inclusive and we wouldn’t support that particular visit if it isn’t inclusive and changes aren’t made.’’