Latest news with #EnglandBoxing
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
English boxing referee suspended after pestering woman for threesome
An England Boxing referee was suspended by the sport after inviting a woman on a course he was running to have a threesome with him. Paul Rosendale, a well-known figure in the amateur sport, admitted pestering the fellow official for sex on social media following a conversation the previous night. Following Rosendale's suspension in March, a disciplinary panel ruled that his actions were 'serious and fundamentally inconsistent with the work of England Boxing in seeking to encourage more females to become involved in boxing, coaching and officiating'. Rosendale, who is in his 40s, had previously been a commended referee, having been nominated for awards for training 'in excess of 80 new and existing officials from the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Royal Air Force associations'. 'In fact, his contribution has led to the RAF Boxing Association having more officials than ever before,' said a 2023 citation for England Boxing official of the year. Rosendale became an IBA three-star referee and judge in November 2022 – the highest certification possible – but he was suspended from duty when authorities were told of his inappropriate conduct. Kathryn Hovington and Mark Harper KC, who sat on a disciplinary panel for England Boxing against Rosendale, suspended him 'for a period of 10 weeks commencing on 14 March 2025'. The panel recorded that following a course in September 2022 and 'following the verbal request', Rosendale made a 'request again for the female official to join a threesome with him' via social media. 'The panel did consider whether Mr Rosendale should be required to attend some form of training as it was concerned that Mr Rosendale was of the view that how a female acts (or is perceived to act) should determine what is/is not appropriate to say/send to her and that the appropriateness or otherwise of communications should be determined by the absence (apparent or otherwise) of offence on the part of the recipient,' their report says. 'Having given it due consideration, the panel was of the view that this would not be necessary as it expected that the experience of dealing with the charges, his remorse and the steps he was taking to address his underlying behaviours coupled with this decision, should be sufficient.'
The Sun
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
England boxing referee suspended after pestering woman for threesome on social media
AN ENGLAND Boxing referee was suspended after pestering a woman for a threesome on social media. Paul Rosendale was handed a 10-week ban in March after he admitted sending an inappropriate message to the female official online. 1 She had been on a course run by Rosendale in September 2022 when he first made a request for a threesome in person. Rosendale followed it up with another approach on social media a day later. And a disciplinary panel for England Boxing handed down a 10-week punishment to the official earlier this year. According to the Telegraph, the panel ruled Rosendale's actions were 'serious and fundamentally inconsistent with the work of England Boxing in seeking to encourage more females to become involved in boxing, coaching and officiating.' The amateur boxing referee, who is in his 40s, has been running courses in officiating for several years. He previously trained 'in excess of 80 new and existing officials from the East Midlands, Yorkshire and Royal Air Force associations.' Rosendale was nominated for 2023's England Boxing official of the year. It was declared at the time that 'his contribution has led the RAF Boxing Association having more officials than ever before.' But a panel handed down a 10-week ban on 14 March this year. A report stated: 'Following the verbal request, (Rosendale made) a request again for the female official to join a threesome with him.' It continued: 'The panel did consider whether Mr Rosendale should be required to attend some form of training as it was concerned that Mr Rosendale was of the view that how a female acts (or is perceived to act) should determine what is/is not appropriate to say/send to her and that the appropriateness or otherwise of communications should be determined by the absence (apparent or otherwise) of offence on the part of the recipient. 'Having given it due consideration, the panel was of the view that this would not be necessary as it expected that the experience of dealing with the charges, his remorse and the steps he was taking to address his underlying behaviours coupled with this decision, should be sufficient.' England Boxing has been contacted by SunSport for comment.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: Child sex offender who orally raped schoolgirl, 15, during livestreamed abuse posed at sports club where young girls trained while on BAIL for attack
A child sex offender who was spared jail for orally raping a 15-year-old schoolgirl while his friend livestreamed the attack on social media has been pictured posing half-naked at a boxing gym where young girls train whilst on bail. Michael Linfoot, 24, trained at a gym in Chorley, Greater Manchester after being arrested and bailed on charges of sexual abuse against the girl when he was 18. He was pictured in March 2023 in boxing gloves and no shirt, standing next to youngsters during a training session - two-and-a-half years after he and his co-offenders were first arrested in October 2020. The club told MailOnline they had no idea of the allegations or bail conditions facing Linfoot at the time, and he was banned from attending as soon as bosses were informed by England Boxing. The boxing and fitness club's social media accounts show that adults, boys and girls all trained there around the time Linfoot, who would have been 21, attended. Linfoot, was bailed with conditions including that he should have no contact with any girl under 16. He was also told to have no contact with his co-defendants, to live and sleep at the same address, and was told not to enter certain locations. It is not known whether he was in the gym at the same time as any girls under 16 - but he failed to declare that he had been arrested for the offence or any of his bail conditions to anyone at the boxing club, allowing him to attend without restriction. The picture has since been deleted from the club's Facebook page. Linfoot was first arrested as part of Greater Manchester Police 's Operation Pavarotti, set up to tackle child sexual exploitation in Bolton. At least 21 men were arrested in relation to 11 victims and 13 charged with various sexual offences against underage girls. Linfoot and his co-offenders were on bail for more than four years, in which time social media posts show they continued to live normal lives. He posted pictures on his social media of him enjoying luxury holidays in Turkey and Ibiza while on bail, in addition to continuing to attend the local gym and training centre. Linfoot, 24, Callum Hesketh, 24, and Thomas Rae, 24, all of Chorley in Greater Manchester, were all convicted of sexual offences against their victim in 2018 on Thursday. They were all 18 when the offences took place. It comes as representatives for victims and their families lead calls for alleged offenders to have stricter bail conditions and to be monitored more closely by police. Earlier this year, it emerged that plans being drawn up by the Ministry of Justice would see certain groups more likely to face discrimination such as ethnic minorities, pregnant women and trans people would be prioritised for bail due to being at 'higher risk' in custody. Guidance issued in January sets out 'key criteria' for identifying 'priority defendant cohorts' which includes women, pregnancy or maternity, young adults aged 18 to 25, people with mental health conditions, and those deemed as 'vulnerable'. The 85-page policy titled 'Probation Court Services Police Framework', states: 'Cases should be prioritised for defendants who may be at a disproportionately higher risk of being remanded into custody or where complex needs are identified that indicate additional support for the bail process might be beneficial.' And in 2021, then-Home Secretary Priti Patel pledged to end the practice of suspects being released on bail with no conditions. A string of high profile cases in recent years have seen offenders break their bail conditions, including TV reality star Stephen Bear. On June 16, 2018 Hesketh and Linfoot, who were both 18 at the time, lured the victim and her friend into Linfoot's van and the pair drove them to Rivington in exchange for alcoholic drinks. After the girl's friend stepped outside to take a phone call, Hesketh began having sex with the victim while Linfoot orally raped her at the same time. Shockingly Hesketh began recording the acts on his phone and livestreamed them on social media, commenting: 'Gang bang out here.' The victim told police she then heard Hesketh speaking on the phone before three more men arrived, and one, Rae, approached the van and orally raped her. The men then drove the two girls to Adlington and purchased them a bottle of wine. At Liverpool Crown Court, Micahel Linfoot, Callum Hesketh, and Thomas Rae, all from Chorley, were each allowed to walk free from court after being given suspended sentences. All three men pleaded guilty to sexual offences at a previous hearing. Linfoot originally pleaded not guilty to rape but admitted sexual activity with a child. Linfoot was convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Rae was convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Callum Hesketh was convicted of sending sexualised social media messages to the victim and one count of making indecent videos of a child in Rivington 2018. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months. The boxing gym was a satellite club, meaning it is based in the community and is not officially regulated by or affiliated with England Boxing. This means the club would have its own safeguarding and other procedures that are not mandated by the national body. But MailOnline understands that a whistleblower shared the photograph and details of Linfoot's offending with England Boxing, who then informed the gym. A spokesperson for the sports club, based in Lancashire, said: 'Shortly after this picture was taken, we were notified by England Boxing that Michael Linfoot had sexual offence accusations against him. 'Michael was told not to come back to the boxing gym, and we did not admit him again.' A spokesperson for England Boxing said: 'England Boxing is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and regulation across the sport. 'As the National Governing Body, we enforce rigorous safeguarding practices within our jurisdiction and provide thorough training and support to all affiliated coaches and clubs. 'The safety and welfare of young people is our utmost priority, and we expect every club and coach to fully meet these standards. 'The individual in question is not a member of England Boxing, nor is his club affiliated to England Boxing. 'While we do not have authority over unaffiliated clubs, we strongly encourage parents/carers and participants to verify that any club or coach they box with is properly affiliated with England Boxing and fully compliant with our strict safeguarding protocols.'
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Georgia O'Connor, beloved and unbeaten British boxer, dies at 25
Georgia O'Connor, a British boxer who was unbeaten in her young professional career, has died at age 25. The promotion company BOXXER said in a statement Thursday that it was 'heartbroken by the passing' of a fighter it had represented for all three of her professional bouts. 'A true warrior inside and outside the ring, the boxing community has lost a talented, courageous and determined young woman far too soon,' the company wrote. 'Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends here at BOXXER. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time.' No cause of death has been given, but O'Connor had revealed on Jan. 31 on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with cancer. 'I'm still smiling and that smile will NEVER fade, no matter what,' she wrote. 'We've already got an amazing oncologist on my case and we've made sure I'm going to have the best treatment and healing possible. Starting NOW.' A GoFundMe page, which O'Connor had said was set up by her parents to help cover her medical bills, described the cancer as 'rare and aggressive.' 'Doctors are calling it 'incurable,'' the fundraiser's description states. 'But Georgia does not accept this.' O'Connor is survived by her husband Adriano Cardinali, whom she married May 9. 'From the moment I was diagnosed with cancer, Adriano didn't hesitate,' O'Connor wrote Feb. 3 on Instagram. 'He quit his job without a second thought and made it his mission to fight this battle alongside me. Not just by my side, but leading the charge, doing everything in his power to save me.' O'Connor was born Feb 18. 2000, in County Durham, England. Her father introduced her to boxing very soon afterward, she told SkySports in 2021. 'My dad put a pair of gloves on me before I could walk,' she said. 'He always wanted me to be able to look after me. He never wanted me to be a superstar, my family aren't like that. He just wanted me to defend myself because the world isn't a nice place.' She added: 'I was a three-time national taekwondo champion, undefeated in kickboxing, but my heart has always been with boxing.' As a youth boxer, O'Connor won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2017 and a silver and bronze at the Youth World Championships in 2017 and 2018. She won all three of her professional fights, between October 2021 and October 2022, later revealing she did so while suffering from what was eventually diagnosed as ulcerative colitis. 'I was going to the toilet between 15 and 20 times per day,' O'Connor wrote Feb. 9, 2024, on Instagram. '... I had pain in my joints and unbearable bowel cramps almost every day. I had 3 professional boxing fights during this time, all of which I somehow managed to win without any form of medication or treatment.' O'Connor also revealed in February on Instagram that she had suffered a miscarriage within 'the last few months.' England Boxing paid tribute on Thursday to one of its rising stars in a statement . 'A hugely talented boxer and much-loved member of the boxing community, Georgia inspired many with her achievements in the ring and her spirit outside of it,' the sport's governing body in England wrote. 'Her dedication, passion, and talent made her a role model for young athletes across the country. Georgia's legacy will live on in the hearts of those she inspired, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.' International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization super bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney addresssed her late friend on Instagram. 'Being a pure soul and a good person gets thrown around so much, but you my friend are the definition of every word of that and so much more,' Scotney wrote. 'I still can picture that timid shy but larger than life young girl walking on her tip toes a few steps in front of me, little did I know that very same girl was going to show not just me but the whole world how special life is and mostly how to live by every second. 'Even when life was on a timer, you never let anything dim that light of yours. A smile that never ever fades, and a heart that will forever live on in so many ways. There was nothing you couldn't do, the world at your very feet no matter what room you entered. I was so blessed with not just a friend for 10 years, but a sister for life.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
British boxer Georgia O'Connor dies aged 25 after battle with cancer
British boxer Georgia O'Connor has died aged 25 after a battle with cancer, her promotion company, BOXXER, said on Thursday. 'We are heartbroken by the passing of Georgia O'Connor,' BOXXER wrote on Instagram. 'A true warrior inside and outside the ring, the boxing community has lost a talented, courageous and determined young woman far too soon. 'Georgia was loved, respected and admired by her friends here at BOXXER. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this difficult time.' O'Connor said on social media last year that she had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, which is defined as 'a chronic inflammatory bowel disease in which abnormal reactions of the immune system cause inflammation and ulcers on the inner lining of your large intestine' by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. She described needing to go to the toilet 15 to 20 times a day, as well as suffering 'unbearable bowel cramps.' She also wrote that she had become pregnant and suffered a miscarriage. In January, O'Connor wrote on Instagram that she was diagnosed with cancer after being in 'constant pain.' A fundraising page was set up in O'Connor's honor by her mother in which she wrote that the cancer was 'rare and aggressive' which doctors called 'incurable.' On May 12, O'Connor wrote on Instagram that she had married her partner Adriano and changed her last name to Cardinali. Ellie Scotney, the super-bantamweight world champion, paid tribute to her long-time friend on Instagram, calling her the 'most beautiful human I've ever met.' 'I've probably rewritten this a hundred times, still not with the right words. Because there just isn't any,' Scotney said. 'Life can be so, so cruel. And it seems to be the best of us that are at the end of that. 'Being a pure soul and a good person gets thrown around so much, but you my friend are the definition of every word of that and so much more. I still can picture that timid shy but larger than life young girl walking on her tip toes a few steps in front of me, little did I know that very same girl was going to show not just me but the whole world how special life is and mostly how to live by every second. 'Even when life was on a timer, you never let anything dim that light of yours. A smile that never ever fades, and a heart that will forever live on in so many ways. There was nothing you couldn't do, the world at your very feet no matter what room you entered. I was so blessed with not just a friend for 10 years, but a sister for life.' During her boxing career, O'Connor won gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games. She turned professional in 2021 and won all three of her professional bouts. Her last fight came in October 2022. England Boxing called O'Connor a 'hugely talented boxer and much-loved member of the boxing community.' 'Georgia inspired many with her achievements in the ring and her spirit outside of it,' it said in a statement. 'Her dedication, passion, and talent made her a role model for young athletes across the country. Georgia's legacy will live on in the hearts of those she inspired, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her.'
