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)