To consider a request from a representative of County Antrim Boxing to address the Council on the Boxing Strategy and its funding in future years.
Minutes:
The Chief Executive reported that requests had been received from Mr. M. Scott, Secretary of County Antrim Boxing, and from Mr. T. McCorran, Secretary of the Northern Ireland Boxing Association, to address the Council on its support for boxing.
The Council acceded to the requests and Mr. Scott, together with Mr. P. Barnes Snr. and Mrs. C. McAuley were welcomed firstly to the meeting.
Mr. Barnes informed the Council that he acted as President of County Antrim Boxing, which was affiliated to the Irish Athletic Boxing Association. He explained that, since the Council’s Boxing Strategy had been introduced in 2012, the number of clubs participating had risen from twenty-seven to thirty-one and that funding had been used primarily to develop young boxers, as well as coaches and referees, and to host international boxing events. He pointed out that ten of the thirteen boxers who would be representing Northern Ireland at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games had benefitted from the Boxing Strategy and urged the Council to continue to make funding available for the initiative.
Mrs. McAuley explained that she was the Irish Athletic Boxing Association’s Operations Manager for its affiliated clubs in Ulster and that one of her key areas of responsibility related to equality and governance. She reported that, following a well- publicised incident in 2012, an independent review had been commissioned, which had identified ten recommendations to be addressed by the Association and two by Sport NI. She provided an overview of those recommendations, which had now been implemented in full and been endorsed by Sport NI, and confirmed that an action plan was being developed for the next stage in the process. She provided details around two significant elements of work, namely, the Pathways to GB document and a Flags and Emblems Policy, which would be publicised and implemented over the coming months and stressed that the Association would continue to promote a culture of excellence, in terms of both sporting performance and governance and equality.
The deputation was thanked by the Lord Mayor, who then welcomed Mr. T. McCorran and Mr. S. Titoli, representing the Northern Ireland Boxing Association, to the meeting.
Mr. McCorran explained that he had requested the opportunity to address the Council in order to highlight equality issues around the current Boxing Strategy. He pointed out that some clubs in Belfast were unable to benefit from the Strategy, as they were affiliated to the Northern Ireland Boxing Association, rather than the Irish Athletic Boxing Association, which was regarded as the solitary governing body within amateur boxing. As a result, those clubs were required to find alternative sources of funding and, importantly, their boxers were denied the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland in tournaments other than the Commonwealth Games. He informed the Council that Sport NI recognised two governing bodies in the sport of soccer and argued that there was, therefore, nothing to prevent it from recognising both the Irish Athletic Boxing Association and the Northern Ireland Boxing Association. Such a move would promote inclusion and enable boxing clubs from all areas of the City to benefit from the Council’s Boxing Strategy.
Mr. McCorran and Mr. Titoli were thanked by the Lord Mayor.
The Council noted the information which had been provided.