Resignation likely to cause IABA meeting

AN EXTRAORDINARY general meeting of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association is now likely following the resignation of the association's treasurer, Martin Power, during a bitter meeting of the association's standing committee on Saturday in the National Stadium.

After a lengthy meeting to deal with detailed business, a letter from the Welsh boxing association was read in which the president of the IABA, Nicky White from Wexford, was criticised for attending a boxing tournament in Wales organised by a club which is not affiliated to the official Welsh association but to a breakaway federation.

The attendance of the president of the IABA was described in the Welsh letter as "disgraceful" and there was an obvious implication - that the matter would be raised at international level.

In this respect Dr Sean Flanagan, the IABA's official medical officer who was present warned that the matter was regarded as very serious as far as the Welsh association was concerned and that it was certain to be reported to the European boxing authority (EABA) and to the world body (IABA).

Last night White said that "in hindsight" he regretted his attendance at the bouts involving his own club St Jude's of Wexford and Maesteg. "I want to make it clear that I was there in a private capacity with members of my family who live and work in the area. I was not there as president of the IABA."

It is now feared that the resignation of Martin Power as treasurer may lead to further resignations from the officer board in the IABA. It is known that Power and the IABA secretary, Joe Kirwan, have been close friends since their schooldays and that Kirwan's resignation is merely a matter of time.

The only thing which could prevent that, it is believed in boxing circles, would be if White resigned.

Asked to comment on that matter last night White replied: "I repeat what I said at the meeting on Saturday. I have not and I will not ever do anything to damage the IABA. I will be man enough to do whatever is in the best interests of boxing as I have always done in the past and which I will continue to do in the future."

Amateur boxing in Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales has been in a state of flux for several years with the disputes within the Welsh and Scottish association spreading to Ireland as different factions attempt to seize control. In Scotland matters have been referred to the courts and there has been talk of court action in Ireland.

None of that seemed to be a problem for Irish amateur boxing until White attended an unofficial (provisional Welsh federation) match in Maesteg where his own Wexford club, St Jude's, were involved.

White had attended an official Wales Ireland international contest in Swansea early in the week arid then travelled to Maesteg to visit relatives and his visit included attendance at the Maesteg St Jude's tournament where he was introduced to the crowd as the Irish president.

This infuriated the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association. Its letter to the IABA condemned White's attendance at what was seen as a "rogue" association tournament thereby conferring upon it a certain amount of legitimacy.

An exchange also took place between White and Power at a meeting of the Leinster Council of the IABA last week which culminated in Power's resignation on Saturday.

Although White apologised to Power at Saturday's meeting and indicated that he was prepared to apologise to the WABA. Power said: "I could not possibly ever work with him [White] ever again.

During Saturday's meeting White was questioned about his attendance at the Welsh tournament.

He defended himself saying he was entitled to do as he leased when on holiday at his own expense.