I am writing to you regarding the most recent regulation changes
involving the retraction of the use of competitive head-gear in Canada at our up coming National Championships. The rule change takes effect as you know as of June 1st 2013.
I received this disturbing news recently from Boxing Ontario. This news was preceded by rumours that had been confirmed by this directive to us from Boxing Canada.
Since that notice, I have spoken to several boxers, coaches and
officials from Boxing Ontario and in fact outside the province. I have expressed my concerns about this drastic move to reduce safety in our sport. Not surprisingly, my comments were met with the same concern, but, surprisingly the response of that concern was one hundred percent. I have yet to speak to anyone in or out of the sport who agrees with this curious removal of the competitive head guards in Canada.
As many of you are aware amateur boxing in Canada has used competitive head guards for just over forty years. Canada was the leader along with United States in fighting long and hard to bring this valuable piece of safety equipment into being on the international scene. Ever since the year 1984 the world has used competitive head guards in competition. At that time one of the main arguments for its use was safety. The powers that be then knew that if our sport was to survive and flourish we had to improve our safety in the sport and this was an obvious step forward. The same situation and development also occurred in the sport of ice hockey. Well it now appears that the world amateur body, in its deceptive wisdom, has decided to change the rule for head guards in international competition. We as an organization have followed suit and will for the first time in some four decades order, our best elite athletes to remove this essential safety equipment.
As I have previously mentioned I have spoken to many people and no one can tell me the reasoning behind this drastic move away from safety. Personally I cannot think of one, can you? Could you imagine the response in the press and the participants and families of amateur hockey players if the IIHF told Canada you will remove helmets from your players! How are we to explain to the parents of our athletes that this action is warranted?
I will not belabour you with my thoughts on why AIBA has done what they have done. However, I think you can well surmise. I am asking you to stand up and demand that Boxing Canada refuse to follow this dictum from AIBA and domestically keep head guards in competition at all levels in Canada. We must stand up for our athletes’ safety. We must fight to keep our fine record of safety intact within our borders. Do not allow AIBA to dictate to Canada when it comes to our boxers’ safety within our borders.
Respectfully
Peter E.Wylie
Head Coach CYC Inc.(Boxing)
