In 1,400 stretched words he revealed all the addresses, the numbers of the fake passport IDs and the alleged crimes and offenses of one of the most powerful men in boxing. Then, on Tuesday morning, another spiral hit, with the US State Department imposing a $ 5 million cash prize on its head. Speaking in Dublin, US Ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin said the reward would be for “information leading to the Kinahans’ financial turmoil or the arrest or conviction” of Daniel Kinahan, his father Christopher Sr and his brother. . Christopher Jr. Dealing with the Kinahans “is an urgent priority for President Biden and the US Government,” he said. For someone who used to work in the shadows after leaving Ireland for the United Arab Emirates, it must have been an incredible shock. But Kinahan’s concern should also have been reflected by many in boxing. For years he was welcomed and hosted as he washed away his reputation by establishing himself as a key figure in the sport. However, there has always been a strange duality here. With each passing year, the criminal charges against Kinahan increased – as early as 2018, he was named in the Dublin Supreme Court as the leader of a drug cartel and arms smuggling worth 1 billion pounds. And yet, at the same time, his power and influence in boxing was only growing. He became a friend and mentor to Tyson Fury. A man with whom they did business. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. Perhaps Kinahan’s lack of criminal convictions – and denials of any wrongdoing – also led them to believe they had cover. But people like WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán, who recently praised Kinahan for “improving the boxers’ lives in a special way,” have no excuses. Of course the sport knew Kinahan’s reputation. Boxers are not naive. However, they appreciated the fact that he was generous, straightforward and took care of the fighters – something that is often rare in the sport and made them ignore everything else. But neither will boxing be able to pierce and imagine its exit facing some harsh truths now. Not when the US government declares bluntly that “the Kinahan Organized Crime Group is trafficking deadly drugs, including cocaine, into Europe, and is threatening the entire legitimate economy through its role in international money laundering.” The United States also said in a statement that “criminal groups such as the KOCG are looting the most vulnerable in society and bringing drug-related crime and violence, including murder, to the countries in which they operate.” For goodness sake, Kinahan is also directly named – as someone “who supplies large quantities of cocaine from South America, plays an integral role in organizing the drug supply to Ireland and seeks to facilitate the importation of cocaine into the United Kingdom. “Daniel Kinahan is known to have used forged identity documents.” Sanctions are now being imposed that prevent US banks and companies from doing business with Kinahan and his associates. As Gregory Gatjanis, a senior US official, put it: “Today, the Kinihans belong to the ranks of the Camorra and the Japanese yakuza.” Speaking at a press conference, Garda Síochána commissioner Drew Harris issued an immediate warning to those involved in the sport who have ties to Kinahan. Subscribe to The Recap, the weekly email with authors’ choices. “In relation to the individuals, and the very prominent athletes, who are obviously somehow connected to this team. “I would say you have to look at your sport, you have to look at your fans and think about your reputation, because this is a very serious announcement,” he said. Kinahan, he said, “could not ‘hide from justice forever.’ A similar message was sent by Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who condemned Kinahan’s position in the sport, saying his influence “destroys or seeks to destroy a sport that is so important to urban communities”. It is a warning that has been issued many times in the past. Maybe this time boxing will finally be heard. Again, this is boxing.
