Tanzania/Cameroon: BFT Calls Off Boxing Team's Trip to Yaoundé

Financial constraints forced the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) to officially call off the boxing team's trip to Cameroon, a move that deals a blow to local boxers wishing to feature in Rio Olympic. BFT vice-president Lukelo Wililo told the 'Daily News' in Dar es Salaam that the federation was forced to call off the trip to Yaoundé where boxers expected to chase tickets for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero in August.

"We now officially confirm that the national boxing team will not travel to Cameroon to take part in the Olympic qualifying event as we have failed to secure the funds to facilitate the team's trip to Cameroon, we deeply regret that our boxers have lost the vital opportunity of chasing the Olympics tickets," he disclosed.

According to Wililo, the federation required over forty million shillings for the trip of eight boxers. The Cameroon Continental boxing Olympic qualifying event is scheduled to start on March 11 and climax eight days later on 19 in the capital, Yaoundé. Despite failure to make the trip to Cameroon, the BFT chief said the team will continue with its training camp as there are other two Olympics qualifying events which are scheduled to be held in June, a month before the Rio Olympics commence in Brazil.

"We are really sorry to miss the Cameroon event, but have two other qualifying events the Azerbaijani which is slated for Baku from June 14 to 28 and the other one is scheduled for Sofia Bulgaria in the same month," he unveiled. Wililo said the Cameroon qualifying event could have been a great chance for our boxers to grab tickets for this year's Olympics Games, but things are going to be tough for the country in the Baku and Sofia events as will draw best boxers from all over the world.