Boxing bid to beat childhood obesity

Aug 7 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

CHILDREN are to be encouraged to start boxing at school to cut obesity and stop gang culture.

Doctors’ group the British Medical Association (BMA) has demanded a ban on the sport for youngsters under 16.

But Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe yesterday said it would be introduced into North East schools after a successful pilot project in Sheffield.

Former world champion boxer Glenn McCrory last night welcomed the plans, telling parents they had nothing to be concerned about.

Mr Sutcliffe announced that the pilot scheme involving amateur boxing clubs and schools was being extended to schools in our region.

He said the sport reached people that others could not, helped to combat obesity and provided an alternative to gang culture for boys and girls.

Wearside teachers’ representative Howard Brown said boxing was a superb sport for boosting health, but warned that schools could face opposition from parents who did not want their children to take part in boxing.

Since the early 1980s the BMA has called for a total ban on both amateur and professional boxing in the UK, with, as a first step, children below the age of consent banned from boxing.

But last night former world champion Mr McCrory said his sport could tackle both obesity and discipline problems in youngsters.

Normally based at his gym in Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle, he has already been into several schools on Tyneside and taken great heart from the reaction of children to non-combat sessions.

Announcing the pilot scheme for the North East, Mr Sutcliffe said: “The real strength of boxing is that it reaches the people other sports can’t.

“I want to see boxing return to schools because it can play a real role in tackling obesity, is great for discipline and, as many an ex-boxer will tell you, provides a real alternative to the gang culture.” Mr Brown, Sunderland secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Anything that improves sport is a great idea and the training associated with boxing makes it a superb sport for increasing health.

“Parents have a fear their children are going to get knocked around. I don’t think that’s what the Government’s intention is.

“If they said we’re doing extra gym and keep-fit that would be good, but putting this (boxing) label on could create the wrong impression.”

The individual schools taking part in the £25,000 scheme have not yet been decided.

But Mr McCrory said boxing could be of major benefit to children. Of the plans, he said: “They have to make sure they work with the right amateur boxing clubs. It’s important that it’s done properly.

“The stuff that we do is non-contact, it’s learning the art. Your kids aren’t going to come home with black eyes and bloody noses.

“If kids then have the interest, they can then go to the clubs. In an age when we have discipline problems and obesity problems, here’s something that beats them both.”

Sunderland boxer Tony Jeffries is keeping The Journal up to date with his Olympic progress in China in an exclusive online diary. Click here to see how Tony is getting on