Official Development Assistance (ODA)
Costa Rican Boxers Fight on a Japanese Ring
Sr. Henry Núñez, President of National Olympic Committee (left)
and Mr Hernán Solano, Minister of Sports (right)
Stickers “From People of Japan” are attached to the new boxing ring.
In Costa Rica, "Central America Boxing Championship" was held with the participants from El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, and Honduras as well as Costa Rica.
Top athlete boxers representing each country had exciting matches to qualify for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on a brand-new boxing ring with stickers "From the People of Japan".
This boxing ring was provided from Japan through Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects for Costa Rica under "The Project for the Improvement of Sports Equipment of Costa Rica Olympic Committee". This project supports providing sport-related equipment for Costa Rican sport associations, including swimming, gymnastics, table-tennis, and fencing as well as boxing associations. As the ring is movable and satisfies the international standard, it gives more opportunities for Costa Rican Boxing Association to hold international tournaments. It would help Costa Rican athletes to improve their boxing skills by experiencing higher level of matches.
Prior to Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, Japan has been actively promoting diplomacy through sports activities. In addition to promote sports activities in Costa Rica, this project aims to promote "people to people" relations between Costa Rica and Japan through sport exchange, such as inviting or dispatching professional coaches or athletes.
(Photos are offered by the Embassy of Japan in Costa Rica)
