At Inauguration of African Boxing Confederation head office: IBA President pledges more support, competitions to athletes.

The ceremony was attended by several personalities, including the AFBC president, Cameroonian born Bertrand Mendouga and the president of the national Olympic and Sport committee, CNOSC, Col. Hamad Kalkaba Malboum,

A host of government ministers including the Minister of Sport and Physical Education, the Minister of Post of Telecommunication, and the Minister of Labour and Social Security were also in attendance.

Speaking during the event, the visiting president of the IBA, said the inauguration of AFBC bureau, signals promising times for the sport in Africa.

He said he is keen on organising new tournaments in Africa which will help athletes excel at international levels.

“I am happy because we are creating an enabling environment for our friends in Africa and Cameroon. My mission is to help to popularise boxing in Africa. We will help Africa. We will do our best to take boxing on the continent to a new level”

The president of the IBA, who has been in the country for a 3-day visit for the first time, announced that Cameroon will host the next African Boxing Championship. 

 IBA boss gift Cameroonian boxers

One of the highlights of the IBA president was the symbolic handing over the boxing gloves, to some Cameroonian boxers, of age groups.

Addressing the boxers in a brief ceremony at the Yaoundé Multi-Purpose Sport complex, Umar Kremlev, said he was pleased to be in their company

He pointed out in his speech that, he came purposefully to discuss and encourage them.

Kremlev explained to the athletes that, the aim of his visit, is to give them possibility to compete in continental and international competitions.

He said the gift was just the beginning of support to them and that they will be benefitting more in future. 

He also announced that the next set of boxing equipment will be arriving Cameroon soon.

Recipients of the boxing gloves thanked the IBA president for the gifts.

One of them, Ngoueni Ornella said, “I want to thank the president of IBA for the gift. It is a great pleasure for us to receive this gift,”.

“It will help me a lot because at first I lacked boxing gloves. Now that I have received it my training will improve. I promise the IBA president that work hard to bring more medals,”.

 Audience with, gov’t, sport authorities

The visit of the IBA boss was marked by several audiences. He was received by some senior state and sport authorities.

Some of the officials who received the IBA president yesterday include the Governor of the Centre region, Naseri Paul Bea, Sports and Physical Education minister, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi and President of the National Olympic and Sports Committee, Col Kalkaba Malboum.

During his audience with the Minister Mouelle Koombi, the IBA president said he was bent on creating an enabling environment for Cameroonian and African athletes to excel in international competitions.

He announced that, his team is working to ensure that Cameroon host the next African boxing championship.

MINSEP boss, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, praised the collaboration between the IBA, AFCB and the sports movement in Cameroon.

He pledged his support to the IBA president in his quest to organize the African boxing championship.

He however insisted that certain conditions need to be attained before they are able to play host to the competition.

Mouelle Kombi said Cameoon was accustomed to hosting international competitions. He cited the successful organization of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON.

During his visit to the National Olympic of Sport Committee, CNOSC, the visiting IBA boss thanked the president Kalkaba Malboum for the numerous projects and ideas carried out in the country.

He reiterated his commitment to work with the CNOSC.

Kremlev described Mendounga, president of the AFBC, as the pride of Cameroon, pointing out that for the first time in the history of boxing, the entire continent was united.

He said boxing was unique and very popular. Consequently, he will like to spread the influence of the discipline to Cameroon and Africa. This is to enable to adequately participate in national, continental and international tournaments