By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

AFTER about two decades away from the administration of the sport, Vincent Strachan has been returned as president of the Amateur Boxing Federation of the Bahamas.

During the annual general meeting and election of officers on Saturday at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium, Strachan was voted in 7-3 over incumbent assistant secretary general Ikana Johnson. Strachan replaced outgoing president Wellington Miller, who declined another term in office.

"It's great to be back. The desire to come back is because I know I could still make a contribution and that's what I am determined to do," said Strachan, who previously served as president from 1994-96 and was also a referee and judge in the sport. "The process was fair. We had several meetings about the elections and where they should go.

"Persons complained that they made communications, but they were not accepted. I made my communications to the person I was told to do and therefore, I guess because of the process, I won."

Joining Strachan on the executive team are Sherman Johnson as first vice president, veteran coach Locksley Johnson as second vice president from Grand Bahama, Alene Rodgers as secretary general, Wellington Smith as treasurer and Anstisa Knowles from Lowe Sound, Andros, as the assistant secretary/treasurer.

He indicated that there is a lot of work that needs to be done to revive the sport, but he is confident in the members elected to serve with him.

"As the first order of the day, we will go to every Family Island and seek out persons who are ready to be trained as coaches, referees and judges," he said.

"We will want to do that because each island will have their own technical committee and we will continue to work with them.

"At the end of the day, we will not have to depend on New Providence alone to take care of the Family Islands where they have been neglected for so long. They will be an inclusive part and parcel of what this is all about. Once that is done, we can establish a new training programme. I address the Cuban programme at a later date because that is an issue that we have to consider."

In the interim, Strachan said they will work immediately on producing an honorary committee where they will select at least 5-10 boxers they wish to honour, professional and amateur boxers from the past and also persons who would have made a contribution to the sport, starting this year.

In her bid to become the first female president of the sport, Johnson, however, said that there were some flaws in the election process and she felt it was not transparent at all.

"They didn't accept what was in the guidelines and in the constitution," she stated. "They wanted to stay a man's sport, but it shouldn't be about the agenda. I fought and fought hard and I believe that in due time, we will change the faces in boxing so that we can advance."

Johnson, who produced one of the most successful amateur boxers, Tureano 'Reno' Johnson, who is now making a name for himself as a professional, an amateur heavyweight in Brandon Johnson and the first Bahamian certified female coach Kayla Johnson, said she intends to appeal the decision because there are some illegitimate reasons why Strachan should not have been re-elected.

"I believe that boxing will not really get its fair share, but the voting delegates did what they had to do," she stressed.

"I will be back. This will not deter me one bit. This sport has saved many families. It has saved mine. So women, next month is our month to empower each other, so let's stick together and support each other."

The elections were presided by Roy Colebrook, one of the vice presidents of the Bahamas Olympic Committee who indicated that there were no irregularities from what he saw during the proceedings.

"The listing of persons nominating delegates had to go through the president or Mr Sargent, who was appointed as the chairman of the elections," he said.

"Through their communications, those names were placed on the list. There was one problem with two persons listed from the Berry Islands. One was here and the other wasn't. Someone claimed that he sent in a letter, but there wan't any.

"So we went by what the constitution stated and a new slate of officers was voted in. Anyone who has any concerns, there is an avenue for recourse and that avenue is their right to take."

"It's the second time in a year that Miller has been replaced as president. The boxing elections follows his departure as the president of the BOC in November where he was replaced by Rommel Knowles.

But Miller said he felt it was time for him to move on and he endorses the re-election of Strachan to replace him. "I enjoyed my time as the president of the federation. The federation has been good to me over the past 30 years that I served on and off," he said.

"If it wasn't for the federation, I would not have been given the top position in the Olympic Committee, so I am grateful to the members that I served as the longest president and I appreciate all who served with me.

"I promise the new president that I am available for his assistance. I feel the federation is in good hands. Vincent is a past president. He used to box and serve as a referee and judge, so he has the passion, so they will do very well.

"He has Sherwin, who is also a past boxer and Locksley, who is a long time coach, and there are some new people, so the future looks great."