Israel Kani sentenced for running Noosa Box Office without blue card

An iconic Noosa boxing gym has changed ownership after a former champion boxer and business owner was forced to step down, a court has been told.

Israel Kani leaves Noosa Magistrates Court. Picture: Patrick Woods.

A former professional boxer and coach has been forced to step down from his Noosa business, a court has been told.

Noosa Magistrates Court was told on Tuesday, July 4 former Noosa Box Office owner Israel Kani, 50, had his Blue Card cancelled after he was charged with supplying cocaine.

Kani pleaded guilty to this in the Maroochydore District Court in March, 2023 and was fined $1500.

On July 4, police prosecutor Allison Johnstone said Kani was sent a negative notice on July 12, 2021, stating the card had been cancelled and he was prohibited from starting or continuing business with children.

Sergeant Johnstone said NBO Strength and Fitness Pty Ltd, which was trading as the Noosa Box Office was a regulated business requiring the owner to hold a Blue Card.

Kani did not write back, she said, but returned the card almost a year later on July 8, 2022.

Sergeant Johnstone told the court it was later revealed through an open search on November 8, 2022 that Noosa Box Office was continuing to provide services to children.

An Australian Securities and Investment Commission search on November 30, 2022 showed Kani was still the company’s director, despite a cancelled Blue Card.

Israel Kani leaves Noosa Magistrates Court. Picture: Patrick Woods.

But at the time of publishing, Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents state Kani stood down from his position as director on April 14, 2023.

The court was told NBO Strength and Fitness Pty Ltd was formerly known as Noosa Box Office Pty Ltd. The latter was deregistered on November 12, 2022.

Classes and training for children were apparently ceased by January 30, 2023, but advertising for these classes were ongoing, Sergeant Johnstone said.

Kani then voluntarily handed himself in to Noosa police on April 12.

Lawyer Matthew Cooper said his client had operated the gym for two decades coaching young champion boxers and was a former professional boxer himself.

He said Kani was an executive officer of the gym at the time of the offence but stopped training children upon learning his Blue Card was cancelled.

“He … directed that task be undertaken by (other) members of staff,” Mr Cooper said.

But since Kani stopped coaching, several of his pupils began going to other gyms or stopped boxing altogether, Mr Cooper said, adding that some of those pupils took “the wrong path in life”.

Noosa Courthouse. Photo Geoff Potter / Noosa News

Kani thought he was “doing the right thing” by not engaging with the children without a Blue Card, Mr Cooper said, but was made aware he could not be involved in any management of the gym in late 2022.

He is no longer the executive officer of the business, Mr Cooper said, and had become a fisherman for a living while personally training adults on the side.

“He certainly has the desire to resecure a Blue Card in due course and return to training children as he once was,” Mr Cooper said.

Mr Cooper tendered two references, both parents of children Mr Kani used to train, who he said spoke very highly of his client.

Kani pleaded guilty to not having clearance required to carry on a regulated business.

He was fined $1500 and forfeited an earlier $1000 good behaviour bond.

Convictions were recorded.