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• Sports
• 11 / 18 / 2006

"We are still in discussions at the moment with Cuba. We hope to create a coach exchange programme which will include Mario Kindelan coming to England early in 2007," King told Reuters.

He added the ABA expected an answer from Cuba by mid-December and was confident the programme, which is funded by UK Sports, would go ahead.

Kindelan, 35, beat Briton Amir Khan in Athens 2004 and Ukrainian Andriy Kotelnyk four years earlier in Sydney. He has also won three consecutive world titles.

"If Kindelan gets the go-ahead he will coach youngsters throughout England, Scotland and Wales. It will be a real feather in our caps," King said.

Cuba is the leading light in amateur boxing and 56 out of the 178 countries affiliated to the AIBA have Cuban coaches.

The exchange programme is due to last for three years and will offer opportunities for English coaches to take the reverse route and coach in Cuba. Contracts may be extended depending on performance.

As well as coaching, Kindelan would head the ABA's recruitment drive which King hopes will attract another 25,000 youngsters to the current 12,000 registered amateur boxers in England.

Source: Reuters