by Diana Lazar

The Irish boxers going to the European Under-22 Championship were asked to sign a contract by the sport’s governing body stating that they would withdraw from a fight if they drew a Russian or Belarusian opponent. 

The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) got this directive from the Irish government. They declined to comment but a representative said, “The IABA’s decision is in recognition of the fact that Ireland is a signatory to four successive Collective Statements on Russia’s war on Ukraine and international sport.”  

Kian Hedderman was the first boxer to have to forfeit his fight on the opening day of the championship in Budva, Montenegro due to the policy.  

“I was devastated to be honest. I felt like all my hard training and sacrifices just went towards nothing. It’s a personal dream to box in the Europeans even with taking time off work. If you’re not working, you’re not getting paid, so it was a loss all around, especially coming up to Christmas,” Hedderman said.   

He stayed at the championship to show support despite his forced withdrawal.  

“Going home wouldn’t make it any better. As I was team captain, I felt like I had to be there to support the others and one of my good mates was still in the tournament. I know in my heart that I’ll be there again, and the coaches were great to me there. They would do anything they could for you,” he added.  

Hedderman had the choice to stay in Ireland and do the Irish Elite Championship instead, but he chose to go to the European Championship knowing the risk of what could happen.   

“I don’t think I’d ever turn down the choice to put the Ireland vest on. My coach was keener on me doing the Irish Elites because he believed that I was gonna win it out, but it was too hard for me to turn down the Europeans.  

“I have no regrets. I believe everything happens for a reason. I got to see how it runs, how it works and what’s the level that it takes to bring back a medal. This will put fuel in the fire for 2024 as my mental has changed for the better now. I can’t wait to perform in the squared circle and win again,” he added.   

Image: Unsplash

Hedderman says that the new rules won’t stop him from pursuing his dreams. Players and coaches have accused the Irish government and IABA for bringing politics into the sport. 

“Politics don’t belong in the sport. They don’t understand what us young boxers go through. Boxing was an escape for me, and it gave me a purpose. Decisions like this may end a career, but they don’t obviously see that. I’ll be back again and this time, even better and stronger,” he added.  

Gavin Rafferty was the second Irish fighter who had to withdraw from the championship due to drawing a Belarusian opponent. 

“I think it’s wrong. I think it’s a political situation that’s been brought into sport and I don’t think it’s right,” said Rafferty’s boxing coach, Philip Keogh.   

“He’s a very good boxer. He’s been preparing for the last twelve weeks for the European Championships. It was a pity to see Gavin having to withdraw because he missed out on getting the medal. It would have been a lifelong memory to achieve a European medal in boxing,” added Keogh.   

Rafferty’s boxing club risked sending him to the championship in the hopes that the circumstances would work out in their favour.   

“We took the chance. We only found out Russia were going in the last few days, and we didn’t know if they were going to send a full team, so we just went with it. It wouldn’t have been right to pull out just a couple of days before. We hoped that they would’ve been knocked out of the tournament in the earlier rounds by other opponents,” added Keogh.  

Image: Unsplash

Evelyn Igharo was the third Irish boxer to withdraw after she had already claimed the European bronze medal in the championship, which meant she could not continue competing for the silver.  

“When I drew the Russian, I was heartbroken. All of us knew before we went over that there was a chance that we had to pull out. I thought it would be sooner on that I would meet my Russian,” Igharo said.   

“We only brought three bronze medals back to Ireland, but I think it could have been a lot more because we weren’t really prepared for it. We were told we weren’t allowed to enter the Elites. I was the former Elite champion so now my title went to someone else because I couldn’t box and defend my title,” she added.  

Igharo witnessed the implications that the rules had for Hedderman and her team.  

“Kian had it really bad because he just went away for a little holiday. He came down and just got told that he wasn’t boxing, but they did arrange spars for him.  

“I don’t think politics belong in sport because I don’t see how what a country is doing affects the athletes. We’re the only country to send out a team and spend money on transport and then at the end of the day still pull out. They shouldn’t send a team if they were going to do that, it doesn’t really make sense,” she added.  

She is pessimistic about her future in the sport in Ireland.   

“At the moment, I’m still going to be training but I don’t think there’s anything in Ireland for boxers. There are great fighters, but they’re not funding it properly. There isn’t any incentive to stay at the amateur game because the IABA isn’t really doing anything for the boxers,” she added.