Kota Kinabalu: Veteran boxing coach Fabian Peter has voiced out the State Sukma squad’s failure to win any of the men’s titles at the just concluded 21st Sarawak Sukma Games.
He said they should have won at least one gold medal based on the athletes’ condition when he (Fabian) was the team manager before being replaced.
The team returned with one gold, two silvers and five bronzes.
The gold was won by Dierdra Jacquelina Richard in the women’s 45-48kg category while one of the bronzes was also delivered by another woman boxer Elize Sherly Lai Alfonso in the 48-52kg category.
The Tambunan District Boxing Association president, who is also a qualified international judge and referee, said as far as he knows it is the first time that the State male boxers failed to deliver a title in Sukma.
He also questioned the Sukma committee for dropping him as team manager despite leading the squad to win four golds, six silvers and four bronzes at the Sarawak Open in May.
“I was never given the reasons for the dismissal despite taking the team to a successful outing in Sarawak only weeks earlier. I would very much like to get an explanation for the decision to drop me,” he said.
He also said the team officials should give an explanation why the athletes on course to reach their peak for Sukma faltered on the big stage.
According to him, the four gold medallists at the Sarawak Open were Aelfred Eter Tahiron who was also named the best boxer in the tournament, Joel Evekly Jain, Jonathan John and Nor Jazlan Jasni.
However, Aelfred only managed to win a bronze in Sukma. Both Joel and Jonathan had to settle for the silvers after losing tamely 0-5 to their respective opponents in the final, while Nor Jazaln Jasni failed to advance to the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Sabah Boxing Association president Datuk Orlando Harumal declined to make any comment and said he will only speak out at the right time.
