Advertisement
©INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard
Joke

Fit-again Barnes blasts IABA selection process

Olympic medallist has recovered from a wrist injury, but he still has no idea if he’s going to next month’s World Championships.

OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALLIST Paddy Barnes has criticised the IABA for blowing thousands of euro to send a group of fighters to Italy on Friday — 24 hours before they finalize their squad for next month’s World Championships in Azerbaijan.

In today’s Irish Sun (print edition), Barnes, who is fit again following a recent wrist injury, said that he has no idea if he will be travelling to Assisi for the training camp, and warned that the IABA might have to recall fighters at great expense if they didn’t make the Worlds team.

Last week, the Association was forced into a u-turn after injury prevented six of the country’s most talented prospects from competing at the controversial Open Elite Competition, which was initially billed as a “box-off” with the winners going forward to the Worlds.

Barnes, European amateur champions Joe Ward and Ray Moylette, John Joe Nevin, Willie McLoughlin and Darren O’Neill were all absent from the tournament.

After much confusion, the IABA clarified its selection criteria last Friday, saying that this weekend’s meeting of the Boxing Council would assess “other relevant performances and factors” before picking a team.

Read more of Kev Byrne’s article in today’s Irish Sun (print edition) >

READ - Dublin facing Club Championship blackout if they beat Donegal >

READ - Court for man accused of Neil Lennon assault >