A schoolgirl's boxing ambitions have been dealt a blow after she was banned from sparring at her local club in Edinburgh.
Eleven-year-old Terri Paul was excluded after officials from the amateur game's ruling body paid a surprise visit during a coaching session at Holyrood Amateur Boxing Club last Thursday.
The young boxer and four other girls were told they could not fight until the Scottish Amateur Boxing Association's medical officials approved it.
But Terri's mother, Mrs Sharon Paul, 29, yesterday vowed to fight the ban and said: ''I am her mother and I have given my permission for her to go in the ring.
''It's sparring, it's not knocking ten bells out of each other, there's no way the club would allow any of them to get hurt. If I can trust the club, why can't they?
''She is very angry about this and if there's any avenue to fight this I will take it.''
Mrs Paul said her daughter had just finished working with punch bags when four officials appeared after talking to club chairman Jimmy Welsh and informed the Lismore Primary pupil she could no longer spar with either boys or girls.
Mr Donald MacNaughton, Eastern District Secretary of the Scottish Amateur Boxing Association, said: ''The young ladies will not be allowed to box until our medical commission come back to us and authorise it.
''I am not an expert on the female anatomy and its ability to withstand blows, so we are asking for guidance from our medical people. Safety is the crux of the matter.''
However, the club's assistant coach, Mr Denholm Hendry, had earlier resigned saying he could not approve of women boxing and Mr Welsh said he approved the boxing association's intervention.
He said: ''I wanted them to steer me in the right way on this issue. The publicity has highlighted the fact that we need guidance on the issue of women boxing.''
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