No room for the girls, says club

WOMEN cannot box at the Amalgamated Boys Club because its premises are too small, it claims. Spokesman Paul Ferbrache said it would present the club with too many problems.

'We would have to observe the practicalities of operating a mixed-sex club.

'This would involve, but would not be limited to, the following: separate toilets, separate changing facilities, at least in part separate training areas, separate coaches, additional insurance, extra burdens on our coaching staff and/or probably extra coaches trained specifically for women's boxing and/or extra administration.

'All the administrators and coaches are volunteers. They give up considerable amounts of time and to ask them to increase their already considerable commitment, which is really what is being asked for, is simply not practical.'

However, ABA official Barry Jones did not accept that.

'The facilities that Mr Ferbrache states are available for his male members would of course be suitable for females, unless the club does not have toilet cubicles, in which case I would suggest they would also be unsuitable for male members,' he said.

'This merely requires a little management to stagger training times and therefore would maximise the time and expertise of the club volunteer coaches. I cannot see the necessity for increased insurance as the costs of ABAE insurances do not differentiate between male and female members.

'Furthermore, I find it unusual for someone to state that our sport requires coaches who are specifically trained to deliver to female athletes. This is simply untrue.

'All coaching courses within the ABAE are delivered to enable the tuition of both male and female athletes.'

Louise Stewart wrote in her original complaint that she had been refused training with the club on the grounds of being female.

'As one of a number of girls and women in the island who have expressed an interest in training at the Amalgamated Boys Club, we are apparently not allowed to train due to ?insurance? reasons.'

She said that a recent Guernsey Press article about the club had included the claim that 'anyone aged over 11 can join'.

'Did someone forget to say, ?unless you're female, because our insurance doesn't cover that??' she said.

Ms Stewart was reluctant to get further involved in the dispute and would not comment further.

But former island footballer Kate Le Gallez, who has also been turned away by the club, was delighted with Mr Jones' response.

'I think what Barry Jones has said is very encouraging and it shows that with more people like him supporting the cause, then the sport really will have a good future.

'Until people adopt similar attitudes, unfortunately Guernsey will continue to hold us back.'

Mr Ferbrache is understood to be seeking legal advice.