Boxing hero Egan takes a swing at Irish athletes

OLYMPIC boxing silver medallist Kenny Egan has criticised the attitude of Irish athletes at the Beijing Games in a candid interview with Hot Press.

The Dubliner has called for more investment in boxing — and had a dig at track and field competitors in the process. Said Egan: “I’d say to the Minister for Sport, ‘Invest your money in a sport that is pulling medals’. Straight away, it’s boxing. Athletics – I was over in the Games with the crew from the Olympics and all they had was excuses: ‘My hamstring this! My hamstring that!’ The government should be doing more for boxing.”

Egan also said he was receiving more attention from the opposite sex since his podium success in China.

“All they want to be is in the paper! I talk to them – it would be rude not to – and then I just give them a wide berth. But the other funny thing is, everybody thinks I’m a millionaire now. I’m on the same wage as I was before the Games. Grants. We get the sport grant off the Irish Sports Council. I’m just famous – I’m not f**king rich!”

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