Professional boxing in the province and the Eastern Cape Sports Confederation (ECSC) are on the warpath after the sport was left out of the nomination list for provincial sports awards.The awards ceremony, regarded as a premier sporting event in the province, will be held at the Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth on February 27.
However, the boxing fraternity is up in arms with the confederation for not inviting nominations from boxing to be part of the awards.
This when boxing is regarded as the top sport in the province, having produced more deserving athletes than any other code.
Last year Mdantsane boxer Zolani Tete swept the stakes at the awards, winning the sportsman of the year as well as the sports star of the year accolades.
Tete, who produced a breathtaking eight-round knockout victory over highly regarded British star Paul Butler in an IBF junior bantamweight title defence in Liverpool, was expected to walk away with the top award again this year.
His manager, Mla Tengimfene, as well as his trainers could also have been called to the podium.
However, this all came to nought as their names were not nominated by the Boxing SA (BSA) Eastern Cape office.
ECSC president Mkhululi Magada accused BSA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs of not cooperating when nomination forms were sent to him. “We have always had a problem with boxing because they are not playing the ball,” Magada said.
But Jacobs hit back with a counter-accusation that for three years boxing had been treated like a step-child.
“Every time these awards come up there are issues with ECSC,” he said.
‘I recall last year we had to beg them to take our nominations when they refused to do so, saying the nomination deadline had elapsed.
“But after they did, boxing swept the stakes with Tete walking away with two awards.”
Jacobs said he was made aware of the exclusion of boxing by the provincial department of sports, recreation, arts and culture (Desrac) senior manager Bafundi Makhubalo.
“I was called by Mr Makhubalo who asked me why boxing was not nominated. I then went to the ECSC offices where I was told an e-mail asking me to send my nominations was sent a long time ago. But when I asked them to show me the copy of the e-mail they could not bring it,” Jacobs explained.
“ I stayed in their office for half an hour begging them to give me nomination forms but they refused, saying the date to submit them had elapsed.”
Jacobs’s sentiments were echoed by EC Promoters’ Association secretary Andile Sidinile, who added he also did not receive the purported e-mail from ECSC asking for nominations.
“I am also supposed to be copied this e-mail of nomination but I never received anything,” Sidinile said.
“When I made a follow-up call a lady at the ECSC office admitted to not sending the nominations and duly apologised.”
Tengimfene and other boxing licensees spoken to are livid boxing will not be part of the awards ceremony.
“I really do not know who to blame here but this is not fair for boxing,” Tengimfene said.
Boxers who may have been honoured at the awards include Tete, IBO junior bantamweight champion Lwandile Sityatha, WBA international featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka and IBO featherweight champion Lusanda Komanisi.
Furore over fistic snub
The awards ceremony, regarded as a premier sporting event in the province, will be held at the Boardwalk Casino in Port Elizabeth on February 27.
However, the boxing fraternity is up in arms with the confederation for not inviting nominations from boxing to be part of the awards.
This when boxing is regarded as the top sport in the province, having produced more deserving athletes than any other code.
Last year Mdantsane boxer Zolani Tete swept the stakes at the awards, winning the sportsman of the year as well as the sports star of the year accolades.
Tete, who produced a breathtaking eight-round knockout victory over highly regarded British star Paul Butler in an IBF junior bantamweight title defence in Liverpool, was expected to walk away with the top award again this year.
His manager, Mla Tengimfene, as well as his trainers could also have been called to the podium.
However, this all came to nought as their names were not nominated by the Boxing SA (BSA) Eastern Cape office.
ECSC president Mkhululi Magada accused BSA provincial manager Phakamile Jacobs of not cooperating when nomination forms were sent to him. “We have always had a problem with boxing because they are not playing the ball,” Magada said.
But Jacobs hit back with a counter-accusation that for three years boxing had been treated like a step-child.
“Every time these awards come up there are issues with ECSC,” he said.
‘I recall last year we had to beg them to take our nominations when they refused to do so, saying the nomination deadline had elapsed.
“But after they did, boxing swept the stakes with Tete walking away with two awards.”
Jacobs said he was made aware of the exclusion of boxing by the provincial department of sports, recreation, arts and culture (Desrac) senior manager Bafundi Makhubalo.
“I was called by Mr Makhubalo who asked me why boxing was not nominated. I then went to the ECSC offices where I was told an e-mail asking me to send my nominations was sent a long time ago. But when I asked them to show me the copy of the e-mail they could not bring it,” Jacobs explained.
“ I stayed in their office for half an hour begging them to give me nomination forms but they refused, saying the date to submit them had elapsed.”
Jacobs’s sentiments were echoed by EC Promoters’ Association secretary Andile Sidinile, who added he also did not receive the purported e-mail from ECSC asking for nominations.
“I am also supposed to be copied this e-mail of nomination but I never received anything,” Sidinile said.
“When I made a follow-up call a lady at the ECSC office admitted to not sending the nominations and duly apologised.”
Tengimfene and other boxing licensees spoken to are livid boxing will not be part of the awards ceremony.
“I really do not know who to blame here but this is not fair for boxing,” Tengimfene said.
Boxers who may have been honoured at the awards include Tete, IBO junior bantamweight champion Lwandile Sityatha, WBA international featherweight champion Simpiwe Vetyeka and IBO featherweight champion Lusanda Komanisi.
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