Rwanda Amateur boxing Association (Raba) officials are not aware that local pugilists have departed for Italy for a two-week AIBA sponsored training camp.

When contacted Raba Secretary General Eugene Ndashyikirwa could not confirm whether light weight (60kg) Sibomana Niyitegeka, light welter (64kg) Maurice Sibomana and their coach Gashugi Kananura left for Italy early this week.

The trio, who could not obtain Italian visas in Kigali, opted to acquire them from the Kampala based embassy on Monday.

Yet Ndashyikirwa isn’t aware of the team’s trip. In a shocking admission, the long serving boxing federation SG said he was only waiting for communication from the New Delhi based international body.

The Director of Sports in the Ministry of Sports and Culture, Gaspard Kayijuka said that the boxers were due to leave for Italy  last night.

"We understand that they were denied visas in Kigali and they decided to obtain them (visas) from the Italian embassy in Kampala on Monday,” Kayijuka told this paper yesterday.

Rwandan boxers will join a total of 92 boxers from 65 countries that will participate in15 days of training in preparation for the AIBA World Championships Milan 2009 which starts on September 1-13.

As part of the program, AIBA has selected young talented boxers from countries and coaches having financial difficulties to develop boxing. 

Ends