International Boxing Association (AIBA) has launched the 2017 Year of Africa Project, which it hopes to create a lasting legacy of boxing on the continent. The continent-wide programme, which marks the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games cycle, is aimed at bringing education and empowerment to National Federations (NFs). Conceived in partnership with the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) and implemented by the continent’s 54 National Federation, the 2017 Year of Africa is said to have a direct reach of more than 750,000. According to report, both AIBA and AFBC, through 12 principal hubs of activity around the continent, will host workshops certified courses and provided hands-on boxing experience as an attempt to instigate a 250 per cent increase in Africa’s pool of referees and judges, coaches and technical staff. Launched in March in South Africa, the Year of Africa is striving to provide a stronger basis for the administration of boxing in the region, by engaging a new audience in the sport with AIBA’s new GlovesUp gateway into boxing, to develop Africa’s future generation of boxing champions. AIBA President CK Wu says that the clear aspiration behind the Year of Africa is the desire to see the continents boxers better represented at major tournament, including Tokyo 2020, but also building a legacy that will be felt beyond the next Olympic Games. “We want to bring efficiency, education and empowerment to federation so we can engender a shift in the perception of boxing all over the world, making explicit the position effects of discipline and personal achievement on the psyche of young men and women and explain the unique career pathways and opportunities that are made available to them through boxing,” CK Wu said in a statement. The 54 member National Federations will be given tools and guidance to take full ownership of their nearest Hub activities, communication and, the NF’S will be expected to organise and coordinate with widest possible audiences in their respective countries. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
