Mareeg.com-The National Olympic Committee of Somalia has fully lauded for the appointment of a British coach Richard Moore as the head coach for the Somali National Boxing team.
In a statement, the president of Somali Olympic Committee president, Abdullahi Ahmed Tarabi, praised the recently revived Somali Boxing Federation for stepping into a quicker move towards developing the country’s game by appoint a hardworking British coach to lead the country’s national boxing team.
“In my capacity as the chief of Somali National Olympic Committee, I would like to show my appreciation for the federation’s efforts to take Somalia’s boxing back to an international platform after many decades of inactiveness” Somali National Olympic Committee president, Abdillahi Ahmed Tarabi said.
Meanwhile, members from the Somali community in the city of Leicester in England held a welcome ceremony for Coach Richard Moore, who has already called Somalian boxers from Norway and England and started training for them before he heads to Somalia.
Omar Mohamed Jama, a Somali who lives in Leicester where he serves as a community football team coach said that Somalis in Leicester are ready to play their role in helping the newly-revived Somali Boxing Federation. “Somali people like the boxing game very much although it was inactive in the country for many years, but I am sure that together we can make Somalia better again”
Coach Richard Moore explained that Somalia has talents, but needs guidance adding that he was hopeful to score a victory for the country in the upcoming international, continental and regional competitions.
”We are not here to take part, we are here to win. Somalia is a beautiful country, rich in raw talent, passion, and pure ambition. It just needs to be guided to achieve its greatness” Moore said.
“We might not have all the money in the world or the facilities that other nations do have, but we have a team that come from something special, something different. A team of athletes who have been fighting all their lives. Inside and out of the ring. This is something you can’t train and you can’t buy. Through the grace of Allah we have a team that will be great” the coach said.
“I want everyone to know that Somalia is a force to be respected in the world of amateur boxing and I’m dedicated to making this become a reality. Having married to a Somalian, myself I truly understand the cultural identity that comes with this great nation” he added.
Boxing Federation was one of the five sporting federations that founded the Somali National Olympic Committee in 1959 and it was active in the country before the boxing sport was axed in 1976 by Somalia’s former military government after a player was knocked down and vomited during a game. The boxing Federation was re-established in 2007 and again it was unable to continue operating. However, once again boxing has become active in Somalia in January 2018 and this time Somalis have high expectations that boxing will be successful as trainings and other activities are increasingly under way.
By Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar
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