The Tanzania Boxing Federation (BFT) needs 17m/- to send nine boxers for the Olympic Games qualifying meet in Namibia. The event to be staged in Windhoek will start on March 22.
Last month, BFT sent three boxers in the Africa Zone Olympic Games qualifiers meet in Algeria but none of them qualified.
BFT Secretary General Gaston Mlay said yesterday that 18 boxers were busy training at Dar es Salaam`s JKT Mgulani ready for the Namibia bouts.
“We have planned to send nine boxers to Namibia but up to now we do not have money,“ Mlay said, adding that the team would be reduced to nine tomorrow.
Boxers who form the team are Fikiri Hassan, Salehe Omary (light fly), Issa Athuman, Rajabu Omary (fly), Emillian Patrick, Mohamed Rashid Matumla (bantam), Undule Ramson and Doto Fighter (feather).
Others are Petro Mtagwa, Nasser Mafuru (light), Yusuf Mambo, Hashim Simon (light welter), Joseph Martin, Msafiri Majia (welter), Leonard Kachichi, Lusajo Mwaipopo (middle).
There are also Geofrey Mbunda (light) and Maximilian Patrick (heavy).
The Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) has said it will only send boxing and athletics in the event to be held in China in August.
Four athletes have so far qualified for the games.
They are Dickson Marwa, Samson Ramadhani, Msenduku Mohamed and Getuli Bayo.
Tanzania has not sent any boxing team in the Olympics in the last 12 years.
