Collection Box might be needed
SPORT Ireland CEO John Treacy has warned boxing bosses that state funding for this year is now under threat. Treacy spoke after what he called a “frank” meeting yesterday between Sport Ireland, IABA chiefs and the Junior Minister for Sport, Patrick O’donovan. Sport Ireland wants new high performance director Bernard Dunne handed full authority over team selection. But Treacy believes Dunne’s position has already been “undermined” over selection for the European Championships in the Ukraine. “I would say it (funding) is at risk,” he told RTE. “We’ve asked them to sort the serious issues out and come back to us. “It’s going back to what we signed up to in the Rio Review – that the performance director selects the team.” At the National Stadium last night, Dean Gardiner won the box-off against Martin Keenan for the super-heavyweight slot on the nine-man team. Gardiner had been unable to compete in the national championships and Keenan won the title. When Gardiner – the 2016 champion – was named on the team, Keenan’s club Rathkeale challenged the decision. Olympian Steven Donnelly was also selected ahead of national welterweight champ Dean Walsh. Treacy claimed those selection issues are a “symptom of the problem” and that a “deeply divided” IABA board attended the brief meeting. He said: “After the embarrassment around Rio, we wanted new systems and the right high performance director. But his recommendations weren’t followed when he put his first decision to the boxing council. “There are people employed at the highest level – paid good salaries on taxpayers’ money – who need to get on with it.”