THE FAMILY of Olympic boxer Darren Sutherland (27) has been granted a licence to have his body exhumed.
The licence, granted by Meath county manager Tom Dowling, allows for the family to have his remains reinterred.
His untimely death in London last September continues to cause great sadness in his home town of Navan where the local council is planning to erect a plaque in his memory.
His father, Tony, yesterday said that the family had “nothing to say at the moment”.
Sutherland’s family live in the Balreask Manor estate in the town a short drive from where he is buried in St Finian’s Cemetery.
The licence for the exhumation will be issued by the council subject “compliance with the conditions” specified by an environmental health officer with the HSE.
It is understood that all exhumations and reinterments must follow strict guidelines.
Speaking last night, Tony Sutherland would only confirm that he was in ongoing discussions with his legal representatives.
“The solicitors are working on a statement” and it would be issued today, he said.
Sutherland, who was found dead on September 14th last at an apartment in the London suburb of Bromley, won a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He lost to Britain’s James DeGale who went on to take gold in the middleweight division.
Sutherland turned professional and won four fights prior to his death.
Ironically one of Sutherland’s greatest victories as an amateur was a success he scored over DeGale during the 2007 European Union Championships which were held at the National Stadium in Dublin.