Good, regional boxing is back

UGANDA and Tanzania at a meeting in Kampala at the weekend initiated the revival of the once famous FESCAABA banned by the African Boxing Confederation (ABC) in 1996. The championship is revived under a new name - East, Southern and Central Africa Amateur Boxing Open Championship. The two countries together with Kenya founded a regional FESCAABA in the sixties. The body later expanded to include Ethiopia, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Mauritius and Seychelles. The Federation of East, Southern and Central Africa Amateur Boxing Association was banned by ABC on allegations that the regional body undermined the continental body's status. By then FESCAABA was an AIBA ranking championship that attracted guest fighters from outside the block. ABC viewed the status as undermining and an act of insubordination; FESCAABA had gained popularity above ABC. The new body is taking precautions not to cross paths with ABC again. It will now affiliate to ABC and will charge competition and not affiliation fees to avoid a clash of interest. It is unfortunate that east, southern and central Africa region has had to wait for six years to again have an opportunity to gauge its boxers as a block prior to international championships - Olympic Games, All Africa Games and World Championships. Insubordination aside, ABC need raise its status above FESCAABA. It is useless holding the mantle while not leading by example. Ends