Newsletter EUBC by President Franco Falcinelli – May 2020

Dear boxing friends,

I sincerely hope that the COVID-19 situation  in your countries is significantly improving and that we will soon be able to return to normal both in daily life and in sport.

We are waiting for the IOC Executive Board meeting in order to receive the update on Tokyo 2020 “Here We Go” task force, which was set up to deal the challenges caused by the postponement of the  Olympic Games to next year because of COVID-19 pandemic.

As doubts and fears remain in many countries that the pandemic can continue into 2021 with travel and other restrictions still in place, the decisions taken by the IOC Executive Board are important for the entire Olympic movement. In addition, a discussion of financial issues and extra costs, securing venues, qualifications for many sports, ticketing and other matters will have  great influence on the future of the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020.

During this “transition” period, the European boxing movement stayed true to the fundamental objectives: the athletes’ preparation and the production of alternative activities, which could increase interest in our sport and encourage participation. The brilliant initiative of Mr. Van der Vorst, Chairman of the EUBC Passion for Boxing Commission, who successfully launched the “European Shadow Boxing Challenge” has come to the end. We were pleased to record high participation among European boxers of various age, gender and status as well as to observe such initiatives taken up by many National Federations across various continents.

We are delighted to congratulate the winners of the European Shadow Boxing Challenge, determined by a competent jury composed of Boris van der Vorst, Felipe Martinez Martinez and Tibor Kincses:

Kids (U-14)

Gold Medalist – Vseslav Stepanov (RUS)

Silver Medalist – Kristian Haransik (SVK)

Bronze Medalists – Sara Sanchez (ESP), Enis Aliu (MKD)

Vseslav Stepanov (RUS)

Junior & Youth (15 – 18 years old)

Gold Medalist – Zsolt Zuro (HUN)

Silver Medalist – Sven Cuppen (NED)

Bronze Medalists – Luna Maria Mairena Aragon (ESP), Luno Beloo (NED)

Zsolt Zuro (HUN)

 Women Elite (19 – 40 years old)

Gold Medalist – Kellie Harrington (IRL)

Silver Medalist – Agnes Alexiusson (SWE)

Bronze Medalists – Sara Kos-Beram (CRO), Deshire Kurtai (AUT)

Kellie Harrington (IRL)

Elite Men (19 – 40 years old)

Gold Medalist – Roland Galos (HUN)

Silver Medalist – Iman Kataev (RUS)

Bronze Medalists – Aleksandar Mraovic (AUT), Marcel Meinl (AUT)

Roland Galos (HUN)

Veterans (+40 years old)

Gold Medalist – Ivan Filipov (RUS)

Silver Medalist – Darius Katkevicius (LTU)

Bronze Medalists – Laszlo Kallo (HUN), Gaidar Mutaev (RUS)

Ivan Filippov (RUS)

Furthermore, we are receiving requests for the organization of training courses for coaches and referees & judges. We support this desire to develop our sport and as soon as the threat of COVID-19 has subsided, we will cooperate with AIBA on updating the schedule of training courses at the continental level.

If the European Boxing Academy is ready, I would also like to create a training course for managers and leaders of National Federations.

I am also glad to inform you that the European Commission (EU) has launched the call “Monitoring and coaching, through sports, of youngsters at risk of radicalization”. This action aims at supporting sport-related projects and is focusing on the prevention of radicalization, helping youngsters at risk of exclusion to better integrating in the society through sport practice. I am confident that some National Federations, having experience and organizational structure, will participate in the call and will be able to give an important contribution to the integration and improving of our society.

On behalf of EUBC, I am pleased to attract your attention to great initiatives in the European boxing community, such as the publication of the book “Teaching and Training in Boxing” by Valentyn Ostyanov and a series of articles, documenting the history of all European Boxing Championships by Tibor Kincses.

I had the pleasure of making the preface to Valentin Ostyanov’s book, because it represents important technical reference for all those who teach boxing, but above all for coaches who rely on the methodological and scientific contribution to achieve their professional goals.

Tibor Kincses is making us relive memorable moments of our sporting history. His careful and accurate research of the European Championships highlights is a tribute to our glorious past and it should encourage our National Federations and our athletes to look to the future with optimism.