Boxers urged to keep tabs on their health

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Professional Boxing Promoters Association (Gaprotin) urged the Indonesian Boxing Commission (KTI) to enforce the use of boxers' logbooks to keep track of their health condition and boxing record.

"Promoters have agreed not to field any boxers without proper documentation in their logbooks. Actually, it is not our duty to question the documents," Gaprotin's chairman Tourino Tidar was quoted as saying by Antara on Monday.

"It is only to show that we care and is part of our moral obligation."

Tourino was speaking at a press conference over Muhammad 'Alfa' Alfaridzi's death last Monday due to severe brain injury, following his fight on March 30 against Kongtawat Ora of Thailand.

Also present at the conference were promoters Abraham Bisma of RCTI private television station and Hery 'Aseng' Sugiharto.

"If KTI were doing its duty properly, Alfa would not be allowed to fight as he suffered knockout defeats earlier. He was supposed to rest for six months," said Tourino. "He had been knocked out four times previously but had been allowed to continue boxing."

Considering the current situation, Tourino also asked KTI to speed up its plenary national meeting following the death.

"KTI's meeting is slated for August, but most promoters urged the commission to move the meeting forward to evaluate Alfa's case by the end of April at the latest," he said.

"We deeply regret the fact that KTI did not immediately investigate Alfa's death. It's KTI's responsibility for allowing boxers to fight."

The meeting will not only elect a new chairman, replacing current chairman Anton Sihombing, but also draft better protection for boxers.

"Not only will the meeting elect a new chairman, but more importantly it will issue a Safety Code for the boxers," said Tourino.

"The code can draw on existing codes issued by world and regional professional boxing associations including WBA, WBC, PABA and OPBF. Gaprotin members will also draft several additional safety regulations to minimize risks for the boxers."

Meanwhile, Abraham said Alfa's death reflected KTI's and promoters' ignorance of boxers' health condition.

"A promoter should know better how many times his boxers have been knocked down. Injured boxers should be replaced with healthy ones."

"To prevent similar case in the future, RCTI will scan all knocked-out boxers to monitor the state of their brain before fielding them in fights." (nvn)