'Same s**t, different day' - Kellie Harrington slams IABA over Dunne exit
Dublin A Her Following Announcement Olympic Sports As For City Medallist Gold Harrington Ambassador Pictured Council Today Kellie
Kellie Harrington has slammed the culture in the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) which led to the resignation of High-Performance Unit director Bernard Dunne, saying it’s “basically the same s**t, different day”.
Dunne had been in the role since 2017 but was on extended leave since the Tokyo Olympics before resigning earlier this month, with the IABA stating it “deeply regrets Bernard's decision, given the great contribution he has made to our sport since his appointment” adding that it had asked him to “reconsider his decision.”
The IABA has been under increasing pressure since to implement a series of reforms and it will face “immediate and severe financial sanctions” if it doesn’t adhere to recommendations in a recent independent report on its governance. Harrington took to social media in the wake of Dunne’s departure to express her support for his work, and the Olympic champion today said it was “such a pity” that he’s no longer involved.
“It’s been going on years,” she said of the IABA’s issues. “It’s basically the same s**t, different day. I do think it needs to be sorted out once and for all. Bernard was absolutely fantastic. He is needed here or someone is needed here in that position so that the coaches can actually do their job and coach the boxers.”
Dunne’s resignation occurred in the wake of an unsigned SWOT analysis that was highly critical of his performance in the role, which was circulated at board level prior to the Tokyo Olympics. Minister for Sport Jack Chambers described the document as “a disgrace” and said the sport has “serious issues” and is a “mess”.
The situation had striking similarities to the departure of Billy Walsh, who resigned from the same role in 2015 and took a job coaching in the US.
For Harrington, the big losers as a result of Dunne’s departure will be Irish boxers.
“Bernard and the other two staff have gone, it’s just coaches there so we need someone to be put into that role ASAP,” she said. “I’d love if it was Bernard. I’d love if he said, ‘okay, I’ll come back.’ I don’t think that’s going to happen but it’s just a pity because, at the end of the day, the only ones that will suffer are the boxers, and that’s the truth.”