Luis Yanez Reinstated; Will Go To Beijing
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He’s back and not a moment too soon. The Dallas Morning News reports that late last night U.S.A. Boxing reinstated its team captain and 106-pound representative Luis Yanez. The team leaves for Beijing next Tuesday.
The terms of the reinstatement attest to www.jabandgrapple.com’s opinion that the suspension was never about what was best for Luis Yanez; instead it was an ill-timed power play by an unqualified coach who has lost his team.
In order to return, the Morning News reports, Yanez must publicly apologize USA Team Boxing CEO, his coach Dan Campbell, and his teammates. He must also say that his actions were wrong and agree to pay back training costs for sessions he didn’t attend.
We wonder what exactly did Yanez do wrong?
On the surface Yanez’ main goal would seem to be winning the Olympic Gold medal. But in reality his real goal is to establish himself as an attractive and viable professional fighter, showcase his talents to the utmost, and set himself up with a top flight promoter. His secondary goal is one we all share: take care of our family and be with them in a time of need.
Prior to his forbidden leave of absence and subsequent suspension Yanez clashed with his Olympic coach. To Yanez and his longtime personal boxing trainer the Olympic coach’s instructions were harming Luis’ skills in a serious way sucking away his inner fire and dampening his ability to perform.
Boxing is not a team sport. Yanez is an adult and must do what he believes is necessary to help himself. Prior to Campbell’s appointment Yanez won a Pan-American Games Gold Medal and qualified for the Olympic Games via a quarterfinal appearance at the World Championships. The U.S. Boxing coaching staff did not contribute to any of Yanez’ amateur success. If Luis and his longtime coach believed that U.S. Boxing were harming his prospects shouldn’t they be taken seriously?
Yanez’ public reason for going AWOL from the team’s mandatory Colorado Springs relocation was that his sister entered drug rehab for crack cocaine addiction and that he was needed at home to help take care of her four children.
What would you do if faced with Yanez’ situation? What responsibility does Yanez’ owe to his teammates in the quintessential individual sport? Are the Olympics about coaches or about athletes?
Tags: Controversy, Dismissal, Luis Yanez, Olympic Boxing, Olympics, Reinstatement, USA BoxingRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Boxing
1 opinion for Luis Yanez Reinstated; Will Go To Beijing
The Plot Thickens With Team Turmoil
Jul 30, 2008 at 2:31 pm
[…] the team has already left to go to Beijing because it is much harder to run away while in China. We think the Olympics are about athletes and not coaches and that Campbell should have been gone a long time ago. Nevertheless, it’s […]
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