Girls enter the ring

THE Amalgamated Boys' Club have decided to open the door to women.

It was front-page news in 2007 when it came to light that the club refused to allow women to train at their St Martin's hall.

The club said their premises were too small and that they did not have the manpower to accommodate women.

Now, nearly two years later, the island's only boxing club has announced that next month, depending on interest, that they will start special women's training sessions on Thursday evenings.

Head coach Graham Guilbert did not want to expand too much on why they have had a change of heart.

All he would say was: 'The committee has changed and our insurance has been updated. It also needed to be organised better.'

The sessions will involve the same bag- and pad-work that the club's male boxers undertake.

Like the men, if a woman wanted to spar, she have to have a medical examination by a doctor to gain an Amateur Boxing Association 'medical card'.

That will also entitle them to fight competitively.