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Boxing stakeholders in KwaZulu-Natal have been urged by Boxing SA provincial manager Mlungisi Dube to participate in the virtual workshop that will be conducted by the SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (Saids) tomorrow.

The seminar will begin at 1pm, and boxers should contact Dube in advance to get the link to the event.

With his lifelong passion for the sport, Dube said: “This workshop aims to enhance awareness and understanding of anti-doping regulations, athlete responsibilities, prohibited substances, testing procedures, therapeutic use exemptions, and the role of stakeholders in maintaining clean and fair sport.

“We encourage all associations and boxing stakeholders to participate in this important educational session as we continue to uphold the integrity and development of professional boxing in KwaZulu-Natal.”

Dube is a former boxing trainer, manager and promoter who was appointed the BSA’s KwaZulu-Natal manager in 2020.

“We encourage boxers and trainers to show up, especially boxers, who take such initiatives lightly. They need to learn about what goes into their bodies because prevention is always better than cure,” he said.

”In fact with boxing it’s even worse because careers have ended due to boxers failing dope tests.“

The workshop comes shortly after Raymond Hack said his long-term plan over five years as chair of Saids was to get as many schools and young people as possible to be educated on the dangers of supplements and taking substances without proper knowledge.

“Also to educate the doctors,” said Hack, whose board comprises doctors Thulani Ngwenya, Lervasen Pillay and Wergely McKenzie, Corrine Berg (lawyer), Sharief Hendricks (senior exercise science specialist at UCT), Keletso Totlhanyo (head of SABC Sport), Nomcebo Dlamini (Central Drug Authority) and Shantha Balakrishna (advocate).

Hack said the board, appointed by sports minister Gayton McKenzie in January, will need to put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to educate people about the dangers of supplements and drugs in sport.

Sowetan