The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

WHILE he welcomed the newly formed Bahamas World Boxing Federation, Vincent Strachan said the Boxing Federation of the Bahamas isn’t going anywhere.

Strachan, who serves as president of the BFB, said on Thursday after the launch of the BWBF at the office of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, that he’s not going to let the politics of the International Boxing Federation and the International Olympic Committee hold him “hostage.”

He noted that the formation of the BWBF is beneficial to both boxing bodies in the Bahamas.

“The bottom line is the athletes and we will not allow the athletes to be disadvantaged,” Strachan said. 

“So with the new formation coming on stream, I think it’s a win-win for boxing in the Bahamas. I chose to stay with IBA because as far as events and assistance is concerned, especially financial assistance, IBA has certainly shown to me to be the better of the group.

“So I have chosen to stay with IBA because there are so many different events available to us and that World Boxing Federation don’t have. 

“So it would be a travesty for us right now, to go with the World Boxing Federation. 

“So I have decided to stay with IBA because all of their awards are rewarding for the boxers, both juniors and seniors.”

He congratulated Miller, a former president of the BFB, for launching the BWBF.

“It’s beneficial to boxing in the Bahamas across the board and although the Bahamas Olympic Committee cannot assist the Boxing Federation of the Bahamas because it is still under IBA, I hope the government will continue to support boxing under IBA.”

Miller said from February 27 to March 3, the BFB will be taking a team of boxers to the CARIFTA boxing championships in St Lucia and there will be several countries who have joined the WBF, who are still a part of IBA because they don’t want the politics of the sport to “derail” the progress of the boxers in the region. 

“I look forward to healthy competition now because it is beneficial to all boxers in the Bahamas,” Miller stated.

Miller said boxers will still have an opportunity to compete for both the BWBF and the BFB until the IBA and the WBF come to a compromise with the IOC.