Ireland’s Olympic flag bearer Paddy Barnes has revealed that he still struggles to attract sponsors and that he is worse off now than he was prior to London 2012.
The Belfast boxer will carry the flag at the opening ceremony of the Rio games in August – an honour he ranks as highly as winning a medal.
But the double Olympic bronze medallist says that being one of the country’s most recognisable and well-liked sports stars hasn’t made it any easier to make a living as an amateur boxer.
“It's probably been a lot worse actually because I'm from the North and I'm getting paid in euro, and the euro is very very weak so I'm actually worse off,” said Barnes, who is supported by the Irish Sports Council to the tune of €40,000 per annum.
When he’s training he’s based at boxing’s high performance unit in Dublin while his partner Mari is at home with their daughter Eireann.
"I've never been sponsored in my life."
"A lot of people know who I am but I'm not really a household name," continued Barnes. "You'd be surprised.
"That's why I think I haven't got a profile because nobody wants to sponsor me. I've never been sponsored in my life.
"I have no choice but to live with it. It would really, really help me if I was sponsored. It would put my mind at ease, I'd feel more appreciated, and then I'd be more confident."
Barnes was announced as the opening ceremony flag bearer at a media conference on Tuesday to coincide with the 100 days to Rio landmark
Boxers are amongst Ireland’s best medal hopes, though he thinks Irish athletes in all sports are in line for success in Brazil.
"I think it's going to be Ireland's biggest Olympics, definitely, not just in boxing but in all sports," he said.
With six Irish boxers already qualified for Rio and three more possibles, including London 2012 gold medal winner Katie Taylor, the amateur fight-game here looks in good order.
This is despite the departure of Billy Walsh as high performance coach, though Barnes says Zaur Antia has more than stepped into his shoes.
"Zaur has never got the recognition he deserves,” said Barnes. "He's a tactical and technical genius. Irish boxing is where it is now because of Zaur Antia, and that's a fact."
