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)