…Women’s Boxing Federation coming soon
WINDHOEK – Namibia Boxing Federation (NBF) Secretary-General, Joe Kaperu yesterday revealed to New Era Sports that Namibia is on the verge of making a major breakthrough by introducing women boxers at amateur level.
According to him the main aim is to send at least two competitive female boxers to the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Kaperu added that they have already started with a draft document for the establishment of the Namibia Women’s Boxing Federation, which is expected to be a fully functional federation within the course of this year and will be affiliated to the NBF. The Women’s Boxing Federation will cater for the overall development of women’s boxing, especially at amateur level. Upon completing the draft, executive members would be appointed and operations will start at regional level. Kaperu believes it’s the right place to start off, since many females have shown an interest in boxing, but lack the necessary equipment and opportunity to excel in the sport.
The long-serving boxing administrator also added that they have already approached various stakeholders who all showed interest in supporting the initiative, saying some have also offered to sponsor equipment and facilities to the female boxers. Women’s boxing has for the past few decades been a serious bone of contention in many countries and was never allowed to feature at any of the previous editions of the Olympic Games until a decision was taken by the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board in 2009 to approve the inclusion of women’s boxing at the London Olympics in 2012, amid fierce criticism from some international observers. Although women had started fighting professionally in many countries, in the United Kingdom the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) refused to issue licenses to women until 1998. By the end of the century, however, they had issued five such licenses.
By Otniel Hembapu