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Former Kenyan boxing president details current sorry state of the sport
Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 10.12.24. | 12:27
In an impassioned appeal, the former president urged Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to intervene
Former Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) President John Kameta says the sport is literally on its deathbed.
In a scathing critique of the current state of the sport, the ex-leader laid bare the challenges facing boxers and the systemic failures dragging the sport into decline.
“It is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For the first time since independence, Kenya failed to secure a single slot at the Paris Olympics. That speaks volumes about where we are as a nation in boxing,” he opened up.
According to Kameta, the lack of visibility in Kenyan boxing is a significant hurdle preventing potential sponsors from investing in the sport.
Without adequate publicity, events such as national leagues go unnoticed by the public and corporate stakeholders, making it difficult to attract funding.
“Visibility is everything. We cannot boast about being leaders in sports if we cannot find sponsors. Nobody knows there’s a league today, and that’s unacceptable,” he stated.
He went on to criticize the current administration for failing to uphold basic infrastructure and governance standards.
“The current office took the entire Mombasa County boxing rim and promised to repair it. The rim is the backbone of boxing, yet it remains in disrepair. So many things have changed for the worse,” he painfully offered.
Reflecting on his tenure, he highlighted the successes achieved under his leadership, including Kenya’s participation in two Olympics and the World Boxing Series.
“We performed at the highest level, reaching the quarterfinals. in both Olympics. Our boxers earned money from global events, and we had a fully sponsored championship running,” he said.
In an impassioned appeal, the former president urged Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to intervene.
“International federations may call it interference, but the government must raise its voice when things are not working. Look for people experienced in the sport to lead it. Coaches are being sidelined, and it’s unacceptable,” he said.
He also called out the mistreatment of boxers, citing instances of unpaid allowances and intimidation.
“During my reign, I had to fight to ensure the boxers were paid their allowances. These are athletes who depend on these funds for their upkeep. It’s heartbreaking to see money meant for them disappear mysteriously. When they demand their rights, they are threatened with exclusion from the national team. That is criminal,” he explained.
The official paid tribute to legendary boxers like Benson Gicharu, Rayton Okwiri, and Nick Okoth, who brought glory to Kenya in the past.
“But today, we’re struggling to even fill a team for international competitions. This must change,” he said.
As the BAK prepares for elections, the former president expressed hope that new leadership would revive the sport.
“Boxing is on its deathbed, but we pray for its resurrection. We need people who love this sport to lead it forward,” he concluded.
During the Africa Boxing Championships held in October in Kinshasa, DR Congo, Team Kenya brought home eight medals-one gold, two silver, and five bronze finishing third overall in the medal standings.
Only Morocco and host nation DRC, both with 21 medals, finished ahead of Kenya. This success marked a significant improvement from the previous year's championship in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where Kenya placed 17th with seven bronze medals.
Kenya has also registered impressive results this year including Edwin Okong’o winning a boxing gold medal in the African games for the first time in 17 years. He defeated Morocco’s Yassine Elouarz in the men’s middleweight 75kg category.
It was the first gold medal for Kenya in boxing at the African Games since 2007 when Suleiman Bilali claimed the title in Algiers, Algeria.
