Olympic Boxer Headed To Jail
By Michael Woods August 25th, 2006Former Olympian Ron Siler violates probation again
Olympic boxer Ron Siler will be sentenced on Sept. 6 and could get a five-year prison term after he violated his probation stemming from a 2002 felony assault charge.
On Aug. 15 Siler, an Ohio resident, was found guilty of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor charge. Charges of domestic violence and possession of cocaine are still pending.
Siler, now 26, was convicted in 2002 for beating up a contractor – he tried to crush his skull with a hammer – and was sentenced to community service and five years probation. Siler, who insists he didn’t perform the hammer attack, spent nine months in jail for a probation violation, but a judge released him to train for the 2004 Olympics.
“I made an exception,” Judge Nadel told the Cincinnati Enquirer before the 2004 Games. “But he’s still on probation until 2008, and if he doesn’t do what he’s supposed to do, he’s facing six more years.”
Siler was expected to be a medal contender at 112 pounds in Athens, and Emanuel Steward was extremely high on his future prospects.
But the flyweight suffered a second-round loss to Uzbekistan’s Tulashboy Doniyorov and never transitioned into the pro game. Discipline was a severe problem and if one needed another hint besides the hammer attack that something wasn’t right with Siler, the man was stopped by police and cited eight times for driving without a license.
Siler follows in the footsteps of another Ohio-born Olympian, Ricardo Williams Jr.; the silver medalist at the 2000 Games was sentenced to three years in 2005 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and could be released in February of 2008…
August 25th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Must have been another Clinton or Carter appointed judge. They just don’t get it do they? How he was ever allowed to represent our Olympic team only the judge knows. Even in Australia they would have a problem with that.
August 26th, 2006 at 1:16 pm
Siler won the National Golden Gloves on more that one occasion. I had the pleasure of refereeing several of his matches–simply outstanding boxer–pound for pound perhaps the best boxer those years. With his talent and ability I would have expected him to be very well suited and very successful as a pro. I remember in a championship match he had terrible trouble with his headgear effecting his vision, and thus his ability to box, and he still won! Too bad.
August 27th, 2006 at 11:39 am
Ken, yes, the judge’s decision was unusual. I don’t have a problem with Siler representing our country since he “passed the test” of the trials, etc. I do have a problem with all of those grown-ass and business savvy people around the young Olympian who must have sensed he needed help, as in counseling, but didn’t have enough compassion in their hearts to reach out to him and insist he get help. I hope Siler is able get the support he needs.
August 27th, 2006 at 6:07 pm
Hey Dee H., Siler is a grown man and maybe he needs to take a little responsibility for HIS OWN actions. This is the problem with today’s athlete….they are totally coddled as long as someone can make a buck off of them, so they think they can get away with whatever they want. Besides the fact this guy is ON PROBATION, so obviously this is not an isolated incident of breaking the law.
August 29th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Sports is a good reflection of the general world, concerning character, integrity, & overall ethics. For a long time we’ve promoted skill over character, ability over character, & potential over character. Without the character needed to be a hero, our hero’s are blemished, because our perception of what a hero is blemished!