Boxer Pino Bahari's Olympic place in doubt
Boxer Pino Bahari's Olympic place in doubt
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian middleweight Pino Bahari might miss
out on the Olympic Games in Atlanta this July after doctors
discovered a spinal injury.
Suhantoro, head of the national Olympic team's medical unit,
said yesterday that Pino will visit an orthopedist and a
neurologist for thorough examinations.
It will take Suhantoro and his company 10 days to determine if
Pino will fight in the Olympics. Pino has stopped training at the
national teams base camp at the Army's special force in
Cijantung, East Jakarta.
"Pino may not go to Atlanta if the two specialists recommend
surgery to heal his pain," Suhantoro said.
"The surgery will deal with a delicate nerve system, and Pino
will need a long rest," he added. "I think Pino risks his career
if he continues his Olympic campaign with an injured spine. He
would be better-off preparing himself for the Southeast Asian
Games here next year."
The National Sports Council said yesterday that it has yet to
drop Pino from the national team. "We keep the door open for
him," the council's vice chairman Ari Sudewo said. The council
will cover all expenses needed to cure Pino.
It would be Pino's second appearance at the world's biggest
sporting meet. He fought in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
Pino, his younger brother featherweight Nemo Bahari,
lightweight La Paene Masara, flyweight Hermensen Ballo and light
middleweight Hendrik Simangunsong secured Olympic berths at Asian
qualifying tournaments early this year.
The five boxers are scheduled to leave for Cuba on May 17.
They will fight in two tournaments in Cuba before entering the
Games. Cuban Isidoro Trotman has been named head coach of
Indonesia's boxing team.
Suhantoro dismissed speculation that overtraining during
childhood had caused Pino's injury.
"It is totally baseless to blame early training for the spinal
injury, because most gymnasts begin when they are only four or
five years old," he said.
Pino and Nemo were trained by their father Daniel Bahari as
children. Daniel is now a national coach.
Suhantoro defended Daniel, insisting boxers need to be trained
early in order to master boxing.
"They don't have to punch each other to prove their skills.
They just need shadow boxing," he said. (amd)