How the security crisis in the east has cost DR Congo a place at the Women's World Boxing Championships
The DR Congo women's team, the Leopards, are not taking part in the World Boxing Championships being held in Belgrade.
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It is a missed opportunity for DR Congo's Leopards at the Women's World Boxing Championships being held in Belgrade. The Congolese boxers, who were due to leave Kinshasa on 8 March, were unable to travel to Belgrade because they lacked a mission order signed by the Ministry of Sports.
A measured disappointment
DR Congo were due to field 9 athletes at these World Championships, including three reigning African champions: Gisèle Nyembo (-52 kg), Ruth Yamfu (-57 kg) and Merveille Mbalayi (-63 kg).
The 9 Congolese boxers had spent two months in intense preparation, and missing the event is a major disappointment for the whole team, notably for Modestine Zalia, African runner-up (-60 kg), who had hoped to put in a better performance than at the most recent African Championships in Kinshasa. "We prepared well. At the African Championships I was coming back from three years of inactivity, but I made an effort, thanks to my experience, to win that silver medal. I really expected to do better at these World Championships; it's a shame." she said.
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Looking ahead to the next competitions
The absence comes at a time when DR Congo is going through a difficult security situation in the east of the country, with the war of aggression it is suffering at the hands of Rwanda. In these circumstances, public spending cuts had been decided in order to give the armed forces more resources.
The Congolese Boxing Federation is standing in solidarity with the armed forces. "Itis not the time for controversy. The country is going through difficult times. It is true that the World Championships are a major competition, but we have to understand this time, especially given the security situation in the east of the country. We stand in solidarity with our brothers in the east and our armed forces. We now have to think about future competitions." said a member of the federation's executive committee.
As a result of this absence, DR Congo will have to wait longer for their first-ever medal at the World Championships.