Rwanda Amateur Boxing Association (Raba) has decided to call off residential training for its pugilists until the second phase of the Africa Olympic qualifiers unfolds from March 23-April 2 in Windhoek, Namibia. The Raba Technical Director Gashugi Kananura (Left) told Times Sport that due to financial constraints, all national boxers will be training from their respective clubs until when funds will be available. “We were supposed to get a positive response from the national Olympic organizing committee last week,” Gashugi said. Rwanda National Olympic Committee (RNOC) organizing committee was supposed to meet last week and decide on the national pugilist’s fate of starting residential training. Gashugi further added that financial constraint is a major set back towards the national body’s preparations for the continental qualifiers ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games due in August this year. Lack of funds forced the national body to pull out of the first continental Olympics qualifiers that were held in Algiers, Algeria last month. Meanwhile, nineteen pugilists are expected to undergo residential training to enable Raba select the national team which will take part in March’s continental qualifiers. Of the nineteen boxers, eight pugilists will head to Windhoek for the second qualifiers for the Olympics spots. The international boxing governing body, AIBA has prepared qualifiers for each of its members- America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania, in which each continent will host two qualifiers. With African continent entitled to take 60 boxers to this year’s Olympic Games, Rwanda is focused at securing a spot from the only remaining qualifier which has only 30 spots for capable African boxers after the remaining thirty was picked in the Algiers edition. No Rwandan boxer has qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games slated for August 8th- 24th in Beijing, China.Ends
