The Curious Case of Amy Broadhurst & The Paris Olympics

The Curious Case of Amy Broadhurst & The Paris Olympics

Boxing rarely does sentiment. Either inside or outside of the ring. A brutal sport inside the ropes. In many ways, it’s probably even more brutal outside of it. The politics of an unforgiving sport can often dictate the future of a boxer who can, at times, have little control over when they fight. Or sometimes more accurately, when they don’t.

Two Team GB fighters will undoubtedly be feeling the harshness, unfairness even, of those politics right now. And the lack of loyalty also. Gemma Richardson and especially Shona Whitwell, will almost certainly be questioning a lot of things since it was announced that Amy Broadhurst was selected ahead of them for the upcoming final qualifier for the Paris Olympics later this summer.

Broadhurst, who has won World Championship, and Commonwealth Games honours when she previously represented Ireland, will head to Thailand later this month, looking to book her ticket to Paris. That highly controversial selection has obviously ended any lingering hopes that Richardson or Whitwell had of representing Great Britain at the Paris Olympics. There is no malice towards Broadhurst, but my sympathies very much lie with Gemma Richardson and Shona Whitwell.

The Olympics is the summit for all amateur fighters. Broadhurst is no different in seeking a place on the biggest stage of all. It has long been her dream to test her skills on the Olympic stage.

“It has always been my dream to compete at the Olympic Games, and I am very happy that I have been selected by GB Boxing to go to the final qualifying event in Thailand in May.” Words of a fighter who quite literally has got a late reprieve through the proverbial boxing back door.

Broadhurst holds both an Irish and a British passport and made the decision to seek pastures new when she wasn’t selected for the Irish Olympic team earlier this year.

“The decision to pursue an alternative route to the Olympic Games – after I was informed by the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) in March 2024 that I would not be assessed for selection for the final qualifier, was not taken lightly.

“As the holder of a British passport, I felt I owed it to myself and all the people that have supported me throughout my career to do everything possible to continue to pursue my dream of competing on the biggest stage in sport.”

Broadhurst was born in Dundalk, Ireland, but her father was born in England, therefore giving her that ‘option’ to switch allegiances from Ireland to Great Britain for Paris. Kelly Harrington was selected ahead of Broadhurst for Ireland at lightweight (60kg), and the confirmation of Broadhurst’s selection for Team GB for the Thailand qualifier could result in the former Irish teammates meeting in Paris if Broadhurst successfully qualifies for Paris in Thailand. Incidentally, Harrington, the reigning Olympic Champion, lost for the first time in three years at the recent European Elite Championships in Belgrade, but she has already qualified for Paris. Broadhurst was also overlooked for the 66kg category for Ireland.

It is easy to paint Broadhurst as the villain in the controversy. But that would be wrong. The blame lies elsewhere. Broadhurst isn’t the first fighter to switch countries in search of gold. The venom should be directed elsewhere. All Broadhurst did was exploit a loophole that shouldn’t be there in the first place in this observer’s humble opinion. Any fighter would do what Broadhurst did in the very same situation. But should she have been allowed to?

Many will argue, with some justification, that if you represent one country, especially for as long as Broadhurst has represented Ireland, you shouldn’t be allowed to switch allegiances so easily. And in this case, so quickly. If the process to switch ‘sides’ had taken a little longer, say twelve months, the decision to select Broadhurst might have been a little easier to stomach for the two affected fighters.

The GB Boxing performance director Rob McCracken said of the controversial decision to select Broadhurst, “GB Boxing’s selection criteria dictates that we choose people that demonstrate the potential to qualify for and to win a medal at the Olympic Games and, having closely assessed all of the boxers at recent training camps and examined their past performances at elite international tournaments, the coaches were unanimous in their view of which boxer fulfilled the criteria most in the women’s lightweight division.”

While you can understand at least some of what McCraken says, especially when future funding for the GB squad will undoubtedly be based on how many medals are brought home from Paris, but equally, you can’t not have sympathy for the plight of Richardson and Whitwell also. Richardson won a silver medal at the recent World Boxing Cup International Invitational in Colorado, and Whitwell has competed in the first two Olympic qualifiers. Early exits in her last two tournaments have admittedly hindered her chances somewhat, but Whitwell was in fine form prior to her most recent setbacks.

Broadhurst has also previously failed to qualify for Paris in her Ireland colours, losing a split decision to the Welsh fighter Rosie Eccles last year at the European Games in Poland when qualification was seemingly within reach.

Whitwell has been by far the most active fighter out of her and Broadhurst in the past year or so. In January, Whitwell won a gold medal at the World Boxing Open Cup in Sheffield, which cemented her place as the number one lightweight in the country. Or so she thought. In her most recent outing in Colorado, Whitehall only lost to the world number three on a split decision. A performance that no doubt came with the mental backdrop of knowing what decision was probably coming regardless of what Whitwell achieved out in America.

Richardson has been accused of inactivity by some, but she has been far more active than Broadhurst of late. The apparent decision to exclude her based on inactivity seems a little nonsensical.

But regardless of the reasons why, the final hopes of qualifying for Paris have been ripped away from both Richardson and Whitwell in the most brutal fashion by a decision to select someone who not so long ago was fighting for another country. Many will say, ‘How can that be right.’ Winning medals might be one thing, but has that decision been taken at the expense of what is morally right. And is Broadhurst any better placed to win a medal in Paris than Shona Whitwell or Gemma Richardson. And should that even matter in this instance? And what happens if Broadhurst fails to even qualify for Paris? Will the pressure created by the controversial selection and her own desire to reach the Olympic stage ultimately prove too much for her?

To add even more fuel to the fire of controversy, it is heavily rumoured that Broadhurst will be turning professional straight after Paris. If that is true, Broadhurst will walk off into the sunset after literally a couple of months on the GB Boxing amateur set-up. When and if she does turn professional, will Broadhurst be fighting under the British flag or the Irish equivalent?

Again, many will ask how can be right to select Broadhurst for the final qualifier over girls who have been on the GB Boxing scene for many a year. And been incredibly successful in that time as well. As late as January, Broadhurst was still hoping to be representing Ireland in Paris. FightPost is also of the understanding that Broadhurst has only been training in Sheffield with the GB girls since early April.

It’s not only a potential medal Whitwell and Richardson might have missed out on, but an Olympic medal of any description can add a few more noughts on a professional contract. Even just going to Paris would have given them crucial exposure. The decision has far greater implications than a possible place on an Olympic podium. It could quite easily affect their entire careers.

Shona Whitwell and Gemma Richardson deserved better. GB Boxing could have done better by them. Much better. A difficult situation. An impossible one even. Several months down the road, will that quest for medals end in a whole tsunami of regrets for all involved.

Right now, Whitwell and Richardson don’t have what they want. GB Boxing and Broadhurst think they have what they want or need. But I do wonder if, when this cycle is finally over with, there will be no winners. Only lessons learned. Chasing medals is one thing. Loyalty should be another.