Navy Coach McNally Chosen As an Official For Beijing Olympics!

The Beltway will be well represented at the 2008 Olympic Boxing Tournament in Beijing, China.

We all know that Gary Russell, Jr. will be on the United States Olympic Team. We also know that one of the US Olympic Team coaches will be DC's Robert "Herb" Martin.

Now comes word that Navy Boxing Coach James McNally has been selected as one of 34 referee-judges that will work during the Olympic Games. McNally is well known internationally as he has officiated in over 27 international competitions in his career, including the World Championships, Pan American Games and Americas Qualifier.

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) determined the officials who will work at the Olympic Games, utilizing a new evaluation process which began at the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Chicago and continued through the Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

“This new evaluation process has proven to be very intensive”, AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu said in a press release. “But it has ensured that we will not only see the best of the world’s boxers in Beijing but also the top international referees and judges who will officiate during the Games.”

In addition to his experience as an official, McNally has served as the Navy Boxing Coach for 22 years and his teams have won five National Collegiate Boxing Association National Championships. Three of his boxers won individual titles at this year's Collegiate Nationals. McNally has served as a referee judge for 25 years, officiating in 29 national-level tournaments, including the U.S. Championships, National Golden Gloves and U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

McNally will participate in two AIBA Olympic referees & judges workshops next month, the first - a classroom workshop - from May 20-23 in Beijing followed by a practical training workshop during the 1st AIBA President’s Cup to be held from May 24–June 1 in Taipei.

One other Olympic note: It looks like Gary Russell, Jr. will not be participating in this coming Saturday's US-Puerto Rico Dual Meet in Philadelphia. The new US roster does not have him on the list. No reason was given for the change.