AmateurHeadline News

‘Heartbroken’ 12 year old denied National final chance because she competes in Muay Thai


 

‘I won’t let this die,’ claims the father of a 12-year-old girl who was denied the chance to fight for an Irish title in the National Stadium over the weekend.

After successfully fighting her way to one of the Girl 1 to 6 Championship finals in recent weeks, Chloe Black arrived at the National Stadium on Friday ready to fight for her first National crown.

However, despite weighing in earlier in the morning the Tullow BC fighter wasn’t allowed to compete in the decider.

A complaint registered with regard to youngsters involvement with Muay Thai forced the IABA – who are following an AIBA directive- to eject her from the proposed decider.

By all accounts the  Carlow native took up Muay Thai as an eight year old and  in response to being bullied in school. Tullow Boxing club claim they never tried to hide the fact Black partook in both codes, but do claim they were unaware of an IABA rule that banned boxers from partaking in other combat sports.

The story received big traction on social media over the weekend with people questioning the rule itself as well as the manner of the young now ‘heartbroken’ hopefuls ejection from the decider.

Then speaking to Fightstore Media Black’s father Eric expressed his disgust and vowed to fight for his daughter to be allowed to compete.

“I won’t let this die,” he said. “I never want to see another child go through this.”

“She had no confidence and friends would come to the house and she would sit there frozen,” he said.

“We brought her to Carlow Muaythai to just watch and they said not to worry about money until she started training.

“One day she just gave it ago and the change was brilliant. Friends, family and her school commented on how she was coming out of her shell.

“She would cry going and coming home from school and that all stopped after she started training.”

The two time Leinster champion was then on course for success in boxing up and until the events of last Friday.

Despite winning the quarter and semi-final in her weight and age group- and partaking in the finalists parade, Black was left devastated come finals night.

“She was training so hard. She has a perfect record and was fairly confident she would win. She’s just heartbroken.”

“It’s ridiculous. Kids leave school at 18 and don’t know what they want to become in life.

“We need to give this poor girl a chance. She came home on Friday and she wanted to go training in Muay Thai on Saturday.

“I wouldn’t let her because the tears were still streaming down her face.”

dpg

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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