A conversation with Felipe Martínez Martínez, President of the Spanish Boxing Federation

A conversation with Felipe Martínez Martínez, President of the Spanish Boxing Federation

How is important for the Spanish Boxing Federation to organize the EUBC European Union Boxing Championships that is being held in Vallodolid?

For us it is very important, we want to demonstrate to our government (CSD, Consejo Superior de Deportes) that boxing is very alive in Spain (we have gone from having 3000 recognized licenses to having 10,000 in 2 years) and that we are capable of doing great things.

It is also important to demonstrate to EUBC that Spain is ready for everything and that much work is being done. We are very grateful for the confidence shown to our federation by the EUBC, and especially my thanks to Franco Facinelli.

What are the plans for the next Olympic cycle?

The main projects are:

 1. To achieve the increasing of boxing practitioners, especially in women’s boxing. 2. To reinforce Boxing at early ages through sports technology programs (PNTD), and educational boxing. Championships of exhibitions, non-contact boxing, where children show their technical – tactical and coordination skills. 3. To achieve a permanent training camp of the women team. Currently, they meet only before competitions in a timely manner. 4. To strengthen the men’s national team, in Elite and Youth age categories, reinforcing the technical staff and equipping them with all the activity and elements that are needed to achieve the goals. 5. To strengthen the projects of Fitness Boxing and adapted Boxing. 6. To start a national league at the end of November. It will be composed of 8 teams coming from main cities of the Spanish scene and this will give us activity and visibility of our sport and relevant sportsmen. 7. To establish the first Specialized Center for Boxing, where the National Training School could be held, and where all the national teams in all its categories could be concentrated. This would be a dream that we are going to fight for.  Although the main goal in the short term for the Spanish Federation is to classify the maximum number of Spanish athletes for Tokyo 2020, as well as the achievement of results in this competition. The team is the strongest I have seen and we are very confident with all of them.

Which are the strategies to improve the Boxing movement in Spain? 

First of all, we had to improve the vision that society has about this sport in Spain.

The keys have been to show society the benefits of practicing our sport, through constant appearance in the media.

Visibility of the National Team, new projects on equality with the creation of a very young National Team sponsored by the electricity company IBERDROLA, non-contact educational boxing projects for children and establishment of the boxing adapted committee.

Improvement of the training of sports coaches and referees.

All this would not be possible without a communication and marketing department (it is not worth doing anything if you do not allow people to see it).

The entry of major sponsors such as IBERDROLA and LALIGA4SPORTS will be the key to the growth and visibility we need.

We are one of the 8 sports that have been chosen by the TV that LALIGA will announce briefly, and we are very excited about this.

How are you facing the doping issue? Which measures do you adopt?

We have entered in agreement with the agency AEPSAD, which will follow-up our most relevant athletes of the national territory, with the accomplishment of periodic controls. In addition there are educational days for clubs (coaches and athletes).

Could you write your autobiography?

I started training boxing at the age of 14, following in the footsteps of my older brother. I joined the National Team at the age of 23 during the Olympic cycle before Athens 2004, but not getting qualified for this competition.

My biggest result was a bronze medal in the European Union Championships in France.                  

When I was 28 years old I left the national team, and I began to work as a coach in my hometown (Elda), getting results with Youth and Junior athletes, becoming responsible of the National Team of the younger age categories, where I managed to create a competitive team. Actually, some of them are part of the Elite National Team.

Later, I have been appointed as President of the Boxing Federation of the Region of Murcia, organizing several national and international Championships with great success.

In December 2016 I was appointed as President of the Spanish Boxing Federation and since then I have put all my efforts into improving the health of our sport.