Ads by Google Ads by Google

No resolution yet to boxing federation tussle

Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga confirmed to Samoa News last Friday right after the Flag Day Committee’s meeting that they will meet with the presidents of the two boxing federations and the Commissioner of Boxing in American Samoa some time this week to discuss a solution to the unanswered question that the federations are battling over — who is going to host the Flag Day Boxing Federation this year?

 

“Right now the matter is still unresolved and I need to sit down with Mapu Jamias, Toleafoa Henry Tavake and the Commissioner of Boxing, Unasa Leroy Ledoux to discuss a good resolution to this issue so that both sides are satisfied, and the community will also be satisfied when they get the chance to watch the Flag Day boxing competition,” said Lemanu.

 

Asked by Samoa News “if there is a conflict on interest” if the Committee gives Toleafoa and his boxing federation the green light to host the tournament, while he (Toleafoa) is a member of the Flag Day Committee, Lemanu replied that they will discuss this issue during their meeting.

 

“The Committee was informed about the request from Mapu and we need to seriously take a look at it,” said Lemanu.

 

Mapu on the other hand told Samoa News that they (ASBF) believe that “there is a conflict of interest if the Committee gives Toleafoa the green light to host the tournament, seeing that Toleafoa is a member of the Flag Day Committee.

 

Before speaking with Lemanu, Samoa News spoke first with Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga Tasi Asuega about his position on the issue.

 

“I’ve already spoken with Lemanu about this issue, so you have to talk to him, but my heart is all about doing the right thing,” said Mauga.

 

Asked what the right thing is he’s referring to, Mauga smiles and said, “I want to treat everybody the same. I don’t want the community to think that we’re (Committee) carrying others while pulling others. I want to let the community know that we want them all to be part of the Flag Day celebration of Tutuila and Manu’a.”

 

Three weeks ago, Toleafoa who is the president of the American Samoa Boxing Council (ASBC) confirmed to Samoa News that the Flag Day Committee had given them the green light to host the Flag Day Boxing Tournament, and a team of 13 boxers from Samoa would be coming over to be part of the tournament.

 

Meanwhile, Mapu, who is the president of the American Samoa Boxing Federation (ASBF) sent a letter to Secretary of Samoan Affairs Mauga, who is also the Co-Chairman of the Flag Day Committee asking him and the Committee to give them (ASBF) the green light to host the Flag Day Boxing Tournament, citing that ASBF is “American Samoa’s only recognized boxing federation registered with the local Olympic Committee (American Samoa National Olympic Committee), Oceania Boxing Federation and AIBA (International Boxing Association) for World and Olympic competitions.”

 

During the Flag Day Committee’s discussion last week, it was revealed that the tournament between the two Samoans would be “hosted by Toleafoa and his boxing federation.”

 

Present in the meeting were Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga, members of the Flag Day Committee, some members of the Cabinet and Unasa Leroy Ledoux who is the Commissioner of Boxing in American Samoa.

 

Samoa News was also allowed to sit in at the meeting.

 

When asked by the Committee about his preparations for the tournament, Toleafoa confirmed that the boxing tournament would be held at the Bowling Alley gym on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 7:30p.m.

 

In an interview with the American Samoa Boxing Commissioner last week, Unasa supported the decision that was made by the Flag Day Committee last month, to let Toleafoa and his boxing federation host the boxing tournament.

 

“I don’t see any reason why the other boxing federation questions the decision the Flag Day Committee has already made — that is to let Toleafoa and his boxing federation host the Flag Day boxing tournament,” said Unasa.

 

“My decision as the Commissioner of Boxing in American Samoa is that, which ever boxing federation the Flag Day Committee has first chosen to host the Flag Day Boxing Tournament, then the other boxing federation should honor and respect it. We as leaders, we need to live by example and accept what other leaders do,” said Unasa. “All that matters to me is that, there must be one Flag Day Boxing Tournament, not two.”

 

“I don’t see a reason why Mapu and his boxing federation should be stopped from running their own boxing competition during Flag Day, but they should know that there’s only one Flag Day Boxing Tournament between a team from Samoa and American Samoa. But for them, they can run their own regular boxing competition between their own local boxing clubs to develop their talent and let them be part of something during the Flag Day season,” Unasa said.

 

Samoa News sought Unasa’s opinion about the issue that Mapu had mentioned in his letter to the Secretary of Samoan Affairs, that ASBF is the “only recognized boxing federation” with a number of organizations and that Toleafoa’s boxing federation is promoting professional boxing” rather than amateur.

 

In his response, Unasa said, “That’s a decision the Commissioner of Boxing should make, not the Flag Day Committee nor Mapu”.

 

BACKGROUND

 

According to the Territorial boxing commission powers, cited in A.S.C.A “18.0304”, it states: The commission shall have power, subject to the provisions of this chapter:

 

(1) to cooperate with organizations and individuals engaged in the promotion and control of boxing;

 

(2) to supervise and regulate all boxing;

 

(3) to supervise and regulate boxing contests and training exhibitions in connection therewith for prizes or purses or where an admission is charged or received;

 

(4) to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter;

 

(5) to issue or renew, or refuse to issue or renew, and to limit, modify or suspend and revoke any license provided for in this chapter;

 

(6) to hold hearings, compel the testimony of witnesses, order the production of documents and other tangible evidence and administer oaths and cite for contempt.