IRISH BANTAMWEIGHT boxing champion John Joe Nevin says his family have finally found a venue to host a party celebrating his Olympics qualification.
Mr Nevin (18) had said his family struggled to secure a venue for the party because of their Traveller background.
Mr Nevin said yesterday his family had finally secured a venue after a long struggle, but it was outside his home county, Westmeath.
Nevin believes his surname, which is common within the midlands Travelling community, was the most likely reason why facilities had not accepted a booking.
"Mullingar, our own town, wouldn't give it, and then we went out of town a bit and they were still refusing. We knew from there on that it was because of our Traveller background.
"I think I should be treated the same as everyone else. At the end of the day I'm still a human being and I deserve my rights. There are people talking about discrimination over in China, and then when it comes to their own people they do nothing about it," Nevin told RTÉ News.
When questioned as to whether the refusals may have been down to bad experiences with the Travelling community in the past, he said: "Leave out the Traveller bit for one minute. Everyone has arguments and things, but they don't put everyone down to be the one. The minute a Traveller does something everyone is put down."
