The Sports ministry has granted the national boxing team two more slots to the forthcoming second Africa qualifiers for the Olympic Games. Initially the ministry had told the local boxing governing body, Raba that only two boxers would travel to the Namibian capital Windhoek for the event set to run from March 22 and April 2. Raba technical director, Gashugi Kananura who also doubles as the national team head coach disclosed to Times Sport the ministry’s change of heart on Saturday. “The sports ministry has promised to sponsor two more boxers, in addition to the two they had already promised to sponsor,” Gashugi confirmed. Last week, the sport ministry Secretary General Jean Pierre Karabaranga made it clear; Rwanda would send just two boxers to the final 2008 Beijing Olympic Games qualifier after failing to take part in the first event held in Algiers, Algeria in January due to financial constraint. The boxing team has been undergoing non residential training at Amahoro stadium since January but according to Gashugi, they expect to start residential training this week. 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 who didn’t send her boxers to the first qualifying round is expected to find difficult at securing a slot in the remaining 30 slots up for grabs in Namibia. No Rwandan boxer has ever qualified for the Olympic Games ever. Ends
