Steve Ninvalle appointed as AIBA Youth Commission Chairman

Feb 18, 2019 Sports

In a correspondence dated February 11, 2019 from Gafur Rahimov, World Amateur Boxing Governing Body, AIBA President, and Cc: to Mr. Tom Virgets, AIBA Executive Director, President of the Guyana Boxing Federation (GBA) Steve Ninvalle was informed that he has been appointed as Chairman of AIBA’s Youth Commission.

Steve Ninvalle at an AIBA Congress which was held in South Korea.

The short missive informed: “It is my pleasure to inform you that on February 8, 2019 the AIBA Executive Committee at its meeting in Istanbul ratified your appointment as the Chairman of the AIBA Youth Commission.
I am confident that, with your vast knowledge and experiences, you will be a key contributor to the activities of this important Commission.
I would like to welcome you in this new position and look forward to working closely with you,”
Mr. Rahimov wrote.
Kaieteur Sport reached out to Mr. Ninvalle for his thoughts on this new juncture of his rise on the executive of this international sporting body and humbly informed, “I am as overwhelmed as I was surprised that AIBA could have the confidence to appointment me to such an important position. It’s a huge undertaking. I am up to the task.”
“I must extend gratitude to the Caribbean Region as it was this region that first nominated me to AIBA. I see this not as a victory for Guyana but one for the Caribbean and the Americas Boxing Confederation (AMBC). When I say victory, I mean in the sense that someone from this small Caribbean Region could have been chosen for such a high post.”
“I expect to work with AIBA senior executives soon to start charting the way forward,” he said.
Ninvalle further noted, “Like Guyana, AIBA is placing emphasis on its youth programme. With just about 203 countries affiliated the importance of the youth department cannot be over emphasised.”
Over the past few years, Ninvalle has been working overtime with his executives to propel amateur boxing in Guyana and also in conjunction with his Caribbean counterparts in a regional push. This has borne fruit in the increase of local and regional events where fighters from the various territories are able to travel and fight in their sister Caribbean states. His efforts have seen new talent emerge here in Guyana and the country once again takes the lead role in the region.
With the help of Government in part, expansion programmes have seen the formation of several gyms in the outlying areas of the country and the harnessing of some promising youngsters. Despite financial challenges the GBA top man has been forging ahead with his and association’s efforts, hopeful of receiving the requisite support from government and the business sector to make a bigger push in the sport’s development. He will now also be better able to get AIBA assistance and share his vision so many of the 203 member countries can push youth and other eventual development.