SA boxing training still in limbo
More than 90 boxing gyms across the country have already submitted their applications to resume training, but the majority of these gyms are in areas that have been designated Covid-19 hotspots.
That means they cannot be allowed to resume training.
Boxing training was supposed to resume on Saturday.
Boxing SA (BSA) CEO Tsholofelo Lejaka said: As we stepped into the first day of August our assessment of“overall state of readiness shows that no gym and no boxer is ready yet to resume official training as per the operational plan of Boxing SA, which was approved by minister of sports Nathi Mthethwa on July 9.
“The reality is that no gym is 100% compliant yet and the rule of thumb is 100% compliance or nothing.
“Not even 99.9% compliance with the stipulated conditions approved by the minister is good enough because, after all, here we are dealing with a situation of life and death.
“We are dealing with a global pandemic with rising infections and fatality statistics, so provision for margins of error remains at zero.”
Lejaka said BSA had written to the respective trainers and managers whose gyms have been affected to explain the dilemma.
“So far the re- sponse has been that of a positive spirit and remarkable understanding,” he said, adding that the affected gyms were those in metros — Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Ethekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and Cape Town, and districts of the West Coast, Overberg and Cape winelands (Western Cape), Chris Hani (Eastern Cape) and Ilembe (KwaZulu-Natal).
He said there were, however, other gyms whose applications had been received and which fell outside the hotspot areas. Lejaka said those were in provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Free State, Northern Cape and North West.
“There are also applications from some gyms in districts which are outside hotspots in the provinces of Gauteng, KZN and Eastern Cape,” Lejaka said.
“The common limitation with applications from most of these gyms is with regard to incomplete declaration of required information, especially health-related information. Not all the gyms have provided full details and signed health questionnaires of their boxers, trainers and support staff.”
Lejaka said another big issue was that so far no gyms had submitted Covid-19 test results of their boxers, managers and support staff.
“As previously reported, BSA committed to assist boxers with the payment for their Covid-19 tests. So far this process is not yet complete due to the delays and complexities of the procurement process involved.
“At the moment BSA has already signed service level agreements with laboratories of Lancet and Empath so that the boxers can then utilise any of those laboratories for testing. “The laboratories are therefore in the process of putting together simple and user-friendly systems for this consolidated account of BSA. This process is expected to be concluded this week.
“The only eligible boxers for whom BSA would pay Covid-19 tests are those who have already paid for their 2020/2021 licences applications or renewals. Boxers who haven’t paid for their new licences would certainly not be allowed to utilise this facility because, after all, this is meant for licensees preparing for the season ahead and not the previous one.
“BSA’s assistance is also only extended to the boxers, and not the managers and trainers. This is purely because of limitation of funds.”