Terry Edwards future in British Boxing in doubt

Posted: Saturday 27th December 2008 | 10:12

TERRY Edwards future as British boxing's head coach will be decided in the New Year - but his position is looking increasingly unclear.

Terry Edwards British boxing coach
FUTURE IN DOUBT: Terry Edwards is British boxing's most successful coach in 56 years - helping both Audley Harrison and James DeGale win Olympic gold (Getty Images)

Edwards has served British boxing for over two decades, firstly as a volunteer before taking over as head coach in 2000.

He presided over the biggest ever British Olympic boxing team in Beijing with James De Gale winning middleweight gold while David Price and Tony Jefferies claimed light heavyweight and super heavyweight bronze respectively.

However, Edwards position has been clouded by the arrival of Kevin Hickey as performance director for the British Amateur Boxing Association (BABA), the organisation which looks after the elite boxing programmes of the Amateur Boxing Associations for England, Scotland and Wales.

Hickey worked at the ABA for 15 years before serving as a consultant for the British Olympic Association and International Olympic Committee.

He was responsible for the British Olympic boxing teams at five Games - Munich, Montreal, Moscow Los Angeles and Seoul, assisting with the delivery of six bronze medals. He also served as team deputy chef de mission at Barcelona and Atlanta.

"Once you have the passion, it's in your system and the opportunity with a Games in Britain is unique," Hickey told The Times.

"Whatever I could have done for 2012, even attending the car park ... but this is like being a kid in a sweet shop."

Edwards - whose current contract expires next March - was told about the decision to bring a performance director above him three months ago.

At the time Derek Mapps, BABA's chairman, assured him of a place in the system, acknowledging his role as Britain's most successful boxing coach in half a century.

"I confirmed to Terry Edwards that I would very much like to see his knowledge, experience, contribution and excellence in coaching to be retained as an important asset in our drive for future boxing success, until at least 2012," said Mapps.