Former Brazil boss Barros takes over from Trepanier as national boxing coach

MONTREAL — Boxing Canada named Joao Carlos Soares Gomes de Barros as coach of the national team on Wednesday.

The search began a year ago when the Keegan Report — an independent analysis of the federation’s high performance program — recommended the team hire a coach with proven international credentials.

Barros has 33 years of coaching experience. He was hired from Brazil, where his squads won several world championship medals and reached Olympic podiums four times.

“There is a tremendous amount of potential in Canada,” Barros said in a statement. “I strongly believe that my experience and methodology will benefit the Canadian program in order to step onto the podium at major games.”

His first task will be to lead the squad at the Celtic Cup later this month in Ireland. Barros replaced Daniel Trepanier, who will stay on as high performance director.

Canada has not won an Olympic boxing medal since David Defiagbon of Halifax took silver at the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

The Canadian Press