RTE counter Taylor’s lack of coverage claims

RTE have responded to criticism from Katie Taylor claiming they have always shown support for boxing and the Olympic star.

The greatest female fighter of all time and one of Ireland’s greatest ever sports stars hit out at the National State Broadcaster for a lack of boxing coverage.

Taylor’s words only echoed that of the majority of boxing fans and in Ireland, but RTE have responded with the following statement published by the Score.ie.

“For 2014 the IABA made the decision to work with another broadcaster for the National Elite Finals. RTE offered comprehensive coverage but this was declined.

“It should also be noted that many of the elite boxing championships at both European and world level that RTÉ has covered in the recent past did not have multi-camera coverage and in some cases offered coverage from semi-finals onwards only.

“Professional Boxing has, along with Premier League highlights, Heineken Cup, Rugby World Cup and the Basketball National Finals, unfortunately, fallen from our schedules in recent years.

“It is RTÉ’s stated policy to ensure we first and foremost but not exclusively concentrate on national teams, national games and major events.
Katie Taylor in Dublin Airport after winning a fifth lightweight title at the AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships

Referring specifically to Taylor, the organisation said:

“RTÉ Sport has prioritised Katie’s title defence in Rio in 2016 as well as the last year’s World Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan and European Boxing Championships in Belarus.

“RTÉ has consistently supported Katie in her successful quest for titles at European, world and Olympic level and will be there again in Rio in 2016 as she defends her Olympic title.

“RTÉ continues to support Katie and had begun the process of also bringing coverage of the 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships from Jeju, Korea to Irish viewers.

“Unfortunately from our point-of-view TG4 decided to bid also and RTÉ decided to step away from the process as it wouldn’t represent value for licence-payers’ money to have two public service broadcasters competing for rights to the same event.

“RTÉ had a reporter and crew at the championships in Korea and we offered comprehensive coverage across news, radio and online.”