2008 Woodie Awards
Yanez to appeal removal from U.S. boxing team
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: SPORTS
DALLAS (AP) - Light flyweight Luis Yanez fired back at U.S. boxing coach Dan Campbell on Wednesday night, claiming the coach's decision to kick him off the Beijing Olympic team was a hasty, harsh response to a long-stewing conflict.
Yanez and his personal coach, Dennis Rodarte, also criticized Campbell's teaching methods, conditioning practices and communication skills in a lengthy interview with The Associated Press after a training session in Yanez's hometown gym in the Dallas area.
Yanez was kicked off the U.S. team on Monday after he skipped three weeks of workouts in Colorado Springs during June without telling the coaching staff where he was, Campbell said. The 106-pound boxer will fight his removal, requesting an appeal hearing for early next week and retaining a lawyer in hopes of being reinstated to the team.
"Dan and I have different personalities, and we've been bumping heads," the 19-year-old Yanez said. "It's just constant threats. I'm under pressure all the time. ... I'm loyal to my coaches and loyal to my family, but I'm also loyal to my team. I just want to get this behind us and get back to work on winning a gold medal."
Campbell said the U.S. coaching staff couldn't reach Yanez for most of June despite repeatedly ordering his return to training camp. Yanez, who says he has been fined $6,000 in stipends over the last six weeks, claims he didn't hear from the coaching staff until mid-June after trading phone messages with USA Boxing.
In an interview with the AP on Tuesday, Campbell accused Yanez of misleading the U.S. coaches during his absence, calling Yanez "one of the biggest liars I've ever met."
"When it was time for him to return home, we didn't hear from him," Campbell said. "He didn't answer his phone. He missed the time to leave for the mandatory camp. We kept sending him messages, and he just didn't show up."
Yanez, who also missed a training trip to Argentina during his absence, later said he stayed in Texas to support his sister while she underwent medical treatment.
Yanez and his personal coach, Dennis Rodarte, also criticized Campbell's teaching methods, conditioning practices and communication skills in a lengthy interview with The Associated Press after a training session in Yanez's hometown gym in the Dallas area.
Yanez was kicked off the U.S. team on Monday after he skipped three weeks of workouts in Colorado Springs during June without telling the coaching staff where he was, Campbell said. The 106-pound boxer will fight his removal, requesting an appeal hearing for early next week and retaining a lawyer in hopes of being reinstated to the team.
"Dan and I have different personalities, and we've been bumping heads," the 19-year-old Yanez said. "It's just constant threats. I'm under pressure all the time. ... I'm loyal to my coaches and loyal to my family, but I'm also loyal to my team. I just want to get this behind us and get back to work on winning a gold medal."
Campbell said the U.S. coaching staff couldn't reach Yanez for most of June despite repeatedly ordering his return to training camp. Yanez, who says he has been fined $6,000 in stipends over the last six weeks, claims he didn't hear from the coaching staff until mid-June after trading phone messages with USA Boxing.
In an interview with the AP on Tuesday, Campbell accused Yanez of misleading the U.S. coaches during his absence, calling Yanez "one of the biggest liars I've ever met."
"When it was time for him to return home, we didn't hear from him," Campbell said. "He didn't answer his phone. He missed the time to leave for the mandatory camp. We kept sending him messages, and he just didn't show up."
Yanez, who also missed a training trip to Argentina during his absence, later said he stayed in Texas to support his sister while she underwent medical treatment.
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