Fijian professional boxer Sebastian ‘The Sniper’ Singh has called on the Boxing Commission of Fiji to stop dictating on what the local boxers should do.
He claimed at this point of time fighters were going overseas and they did not know why they were sent overseas.
“I don’t even know why they are sent overseas because Fiji has a really bad name overseas,” he claimed.
“In the past years or so there have been a handful of fighters who were able to complete the fight or win it.
“But now boxers, every single one of them get knocked out in the first few rounds. It’s embarrassing.
“It all comes down to basics and I think the Boxing Commission of Fiji should put in some initiative and see what the boxers do.
“I believe there are a lot of things that needs to be changed. “We have deregistered ourselves from them because there is so much politics involved that we do not understand.” He claimed there has been a lot of favouritism.
“We’re not associating ourselves with Fiji Boxing at the moment because like I said, there is a lot of favouritism.
“I have raised certain issues, sent questions on a particular boxer who failed a drug test, but still look the title home.
“When I make a mistake they write a suspension letter.
“That’s the reason why I, my younger brother and a couple of boxers have deregistered ourselves from Fiji Boxing and registered in Australia. “Australia looks after us and has been good to us and we’re on the right track for now.”
Singh along with five boxers have started their own club called the Southern Cross Boxing 2.0 and they called themselves the Fijian Hybrid.
In response to Singh’s comments, Boxing Commission of Fiji, Dr Subhash Appana, said they were not aware of any favouritism or politics within the commission.
“In fact, we have continually strived to apply our rules fairly, consistently and firmly. Sebastion Singh should know as we suspended him twice and he is currently on final warning.
“We also strive to ensure that no one is above Fiji Boxing.
“Every decision we make is guided by the maxim that it should be in the interests of Fiji Boxing.
“We released a number of boxers to fight overseas immediately after COVID-induced travel restrictions were eased. This was justified largely because we hadn’t had any programs locally for the same reasons.
“Boxers desperately needed to earn money. Straight after that, we put in place some rules to set a formal process.
“This is being used now, but Sebastian Singh has repeatedly defied this and not only has he fought overseas without our clearance, but has taken other boxers to fight there in contravention of set processes.
“He continues to do this saying that Overseas Clearance is not a requirement. In fact, he has firmed the fiction that I refuse to issue overseas clearances to his boxers. This is not true.”
He added that nobody has yet formally deregistered themselves from BCF.
“This is news to me of course, this could be a strategy to not have to answer to BCF when the issue of fighting overseas without BCF clearance comes up for a decision.
“This will have to be dealt with at some stage soon.
“We cannot disregard our own rules as our credibility is at stake. You might find it interesting that Nathan Singh posted on social media that ‘Boxing Commission is full of %@it’.
“How does that sound for respect. He was sidelined from amateur boxing for the same type of attitude and behaviour. Should BCF ignore this gross insult from him because he’s a ‘star’ boxer?”
