Boxer Alfaridzi still in coma, KTI will not issue sanctions

Boxer Alfaridzi still in coma, KTI will not issue sanctions

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Boxing Commission (KTI) will not
sanction any parties involved with boxer Alfaridzi, who collapsed
and fell into a coma as a result of his fight last Friday
evening.

"I will not order any punishment for any parties because I
believe that what happened to Alfaridzi is a tragedy. The
promotor organized the event as they were supposed to do," the
KTI chairman, Anton Sihombing, was quoted by Antara as saying on
Monday.

Alfaridzi -- a former featherweight champion during his
amateur career -- was knocked out by Thailand's Kongtawat Ora in
the eighth round of a 10-round-bout in Bogor. The match was aired
live by Indosiar.

Alfaridzi, who fought for the Anak Bandung boxing camp, is
currently in the intensive care unit of UKI Hospital, East
Jakarta. He underwent brain surgery on Saturday morning at around
3 a.m., Media Indonesia reported.

"His condition is improving. We can only maintain it and hope
that he won't suffer any infection or complications. Hopefully,
he will gain consciousness within one or two days," said Dr.
Tommy Halauwet.

Separately, the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association
(Pertina) deputy secretary-general, Didiet Soedijoto, said that
KTI should not have allowed Alfaridzi to compete given that he
had been knocked out in a previous match.

"Alfaridzi should have had a break for a year before competing
in the fight, but the fact was that KTI allowed him to fight."

La Paene Masara, who just turned pro earlier this year, also
regretted the accident.

"I'm afraid that boxing won't get the public interest because
it's not an entertaining sport anymore, but more like a massacre.
It's also a valuable lesson for me, having just switched to pro,"
said La Paene, a quarterfinalist during the 1996 Atlanta
Olympics.

Gufron Sakaril, spokesman for private TV station Indosiar,
said that fight promoter Daniel Bahari should be held fully
responsible for the accident and pointed out that the station
only provided the broadcast rights. Daniel was not available for
comment.

SEA Games

Meanwhile, the Indonesia national squad coach, Carlos J.
Penate Torres of Cuba, said that national boxers would be ready
to compete in the 2003 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam,
but not this year's event in Kuala Lumpur.

"I won't lie to myself as a national coach, so I must
acknowledge that the boxers won't be able to get results in the
Kuala Lumpur Games," he was quoted as saying by Antara.

Indonesian boxers have not yet conducted any tryouts since
undertaking centralized training in January. Torres explained
that they need to have already competed in 25 matches to
participate in the Games.

"But until now, they have not yet had a chance to compete. I'm
tired of requesting for this from Pertina. It seems my
suggestions are never answered," he said.

Speaking on behalf of 24 national boxers groomed for the Sept.
8 to Sept. 17 Games, Torres said that most of them were old
hands. Meanwhile, the juniors would be ready for international
events two years from now.

"I'm sure that some of the 15 juniors will be able to perform
well in international events as long as they are supported by
dedicated officials in the future." (yan)