Boxing head coach Billy Walsh unaware two coaches removed in his absence

Head coach to the Irish boxing team Billy Walsh was unaware that two coaches he had in place were removed from their positions with the elite Irish women's team, when he was abroad in training camp with the men's Irish team.

Walsh who was voted Irish Manager of the Year for 2012 across all sports, was with the Irish team in Ukraine prior to their participation in the European Championships in Minsk, when coaches Pat Ryan and Tony Davitt were removed without his knowledge or approval.

A common view is that Walsh’s position was undermined by the decision. The issue was brought up yesterday by John O’Mahony TD during a meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. However there appears to be some confusion.

The former Mayo football manager asked if the Irish Sports Council (ISC) and Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) were aware of the "tension within the IABA".

Been addressed
"There seems to be issues there and have they been addressed? The director of boxing sacked a coach of the ladies team recently. Have those issues been resolved?" he asked.

Asked to comment yesterday, the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA), denied that anybody had been sacked.

Chairman of the IABA board, Dr John Lynch said: “No, there was nobody sacked. There was a relocation of duties for revenue reasons.”

Responding to O'Mahony's question, ISC chief executive John Treacy said: "We've heard the same stories and it's unacceptable. If they have a clear job description then we fully support the work they do. Those issues will be discussed shortly with Billy Walsh."

ISC chairman Kieran Mulvey added: “If we have governance issues with bodies and we are unhappy then those issues have to be addressed because we fund them.”

Walsh, whose men’s team won four medals in Minsk, is on holidays and was unavailable for comment. He is expected back on Tuesday.