A New Zealand-based boxing trainer claims a visit to Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pōhiva was the reason behind the Tonga Boxing Association not listing champion boxers Sione Mōleni and New Zealand’s Melbourne Expo International gold medalist Magan Maka for the South Pacific Games in Samoa.
A bitter feud between New Zealand-based Tongan trainer Fili Maka and TBA Secretary General Mataele Fūnaki erupted after a national boxing tournament in Tonga in March.
Maka accused TBA of twisting his story and failing to respond to an e-mail he sent in response to allegations he said had been made against him.
He claimed the tournament was illegal because it did not follow the medical procedures for boxers and none of boxers from Australia and US had boxing registration books.
Part of the e-mail by Maka to TBA on May 10 which was seen by Kaniva news quotes Fūnaki as saying in Tongan:
“Ko e ha na’a mou oo ai ‘o sio ki he Palemia.”
This translates into English as: “Why did you go and see the Prime Minister?”
When asked whether this was the reason for dropping Mōleni, Magan and two others from New Zealand from the South Pacific Games 2019 boxing list, Fūnaki did not deny it.
However, he said: “Politics is not Tonga Amateur Boxing Association’s prerogative. We stay away from politics and continue to rely on consistent training, honesty and faith in one another.”
TBA demands apologies
Fūnaki accused Maka of causing chaos, not respecting the TBA and the tournament and walking out during the Tonga National Boxing tournament which ran on March 21 – 23.
Fūnaki told Kaniva news Maka did not attend any of the weigh-in at TASANOC with the team.
He claimed Maka refused to attend the last day of the tournament.
“Instead he provoked an argument with TBA CEO/ Secretary at ‘Atele Indoor Stadium with abusive behaviour in front of mothers with young children,” Fūnaki claimed.
“Maka walked out with his team and made it very public through the media.
“The team boxing Blue Books were given back at their request.”
He said that by withdrawing without a reasonable excuse the New Zealand-based team did not fulfill its obligation.
Tonga Boxing Association demanded that Maka as representative of Wellsford Boxing, Auckland Boxing and New Zealand Boxing formally write them and Tonga Boxing Association a letter of apology.
It also demanded that confirmation of four qualifiers from Maka’s team to represent Tonga has to be made to TBA by May 20.
The qualifiers were Tu’i Vea 59kgs, Fine Tu’ipulotu 64kgs, Sione Mōleni 69kgs and Magan Maka 75 kgs.
Magan, a six-time New Zealand champion and first female to represent New Zealand at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, has represented Tonga at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Vea was a three-time New Zealand champ and has represented Tonga at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Tu’ipulotu, was a two-time New Zealand champion.
Mōleni represented Tonga at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“These boxers are all top amateur boxers in the country,” Maka said.
Maka said Vea has been picked by New Zealand and Tuipulotu was selected for the New Zealand Camp last weekend.
Boxers no opponents
In response, Maka said he would not apologise because he and his team did nothing wrong.
He said he was willing to reply if he would receive an inquiry from the New Zealand authorities.
Maka said he did not need to be at the weigh-in.
He said his disappointment came after he found out after arriving in Tonga that some of his boxers had no opponents.
Maka said none of the boxers were checked by doctors prior to competition nor after the weigh-in which was the normal procedure.
“None of the boxers, even from Australia and America had a boxing registration book apart from my boxers from New Zealand,” he claimed.
“Half of my boxers didn’t have opponents on the first day of the tournament, so ended up having exhibitions only which was not the deal before they went there.
“None of my elite boxers had opponents. The tournament was supposed to run over three days and I spoke with Lord Vaea (TBA President) after the first day of tournament that I would let my boxers have a holiday because they had no opponents so there was no competition for them on the last day.”
He said his team paid their own expenses before they left New Zealand.
“I received confirmation that all my boxers were matched for the tournament. They’ve twisted their story because we went to see the PM, so they kicked us out of the competition on the Friday,” Maka said.
“Mataele and I exchanged words because of his decision to kick us out and yes of course I was not happy, just like anyone else who’d be kicked out for no reason.”
Complaint to New Zealand
Fūnaki said that as a result of the incident, TBA had sent a formal letter of complaint to New Zealand Boxing, the Oceania Boxing Federation and the Amateur International Boxing Association.
“There were boxers who come from Alaska, Australia and America who made the effort to participate in the tournament, which was successful,” Fūnaki said.
He said the tournament was operated according to a boxing handbook approved by the TBA committee and complied with the selection policy, dates, times and venue.
He said Maka could have brought his concern to the committee and they could have been sorted out through a formal appeals process.
The main points
- A New Zealand-based boxing trainer claims a visit to Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva was the reason behind the Tonga Boxing Association not listing champion boxer Sione Moleni for the South Pacific Games in Samoa.
- A bitter feud between New Zealand-based Tongan trainer Fili Maka and TBA Secretary General erupted after a national boxing tournament in Tonga in March.
