John Treacy: IABA said they had 20 coaches can do Billy Walsh’s job

“We have 20 coaches who can do Billy’s job.” Of all the thousands of words spoken yesterday during a four-hour session of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communication — called to examine the story behind Billy Walsh’s loss to Irish amateur boxing — those nine stood out.

They were uttered, according to Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy, by a member of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) during a meeting between the bodies at a time when they and others were enmeshed in discussions to prevent Walsh’s loss to the US Olympic movement.

Treacy added that the IABA stressed that their desire was to keep Walsh in Ireland. The IABA said as much time and again themselves, but boxing’s officials nonetheless found themselves fighting off the back foot at Leinster House in the face of some robust questioning from deputies and senators.