Find me a job or I'll turn pro: La Paene
JAKARTA (JP): National amateur boxer La Paene Masara demanded the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) find him a job or he would turn professional.
The 27-year-old boxer said on Monday that he would not hesitate to leave the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games training program if Pertina could not get him a job. He said he had asked the body for a job since 1997.
"I'm not thinking about the training program now. I want to stop my career in amateur boxing if I'm still jobless," he said.
La Paene said he had a heated dispute on the topic with Pertina deputy secretary-general Didiet Soedijoto at the association's office in Senayan on Monday.
"Pak Didiet suggested I attend the training program for one or two days and then Pertina would discuss the possibility of finding me a job. I told him to give me the job then I'll continue training.
"He accused me of forcing my will on the association."
Commonly, sports organizations chairpersons give their recommendation in athletes' working resume if they manage to achieve results in national and international events.
Provincial authorities also usually offers jobs to medalists representing their respective provinces at the National Games (PON).
La Paene said that certain professional boxing promoters had given a positive response to his inquiries.
"There is no immediate offer for a professional career, but once I decide to turn pro, I think it will be easy for me to find a promoter," the flyweight boxer said.
La Paene stunned national boxing fans with his remarkable performance which landed him in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games quarterfinals. Unfortunately, he failed to repeat his success in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and ended in the second round.
He also won golds in the 1997 Jakarta SEA Games and a bronze in 1999 Brunei Darussalam Games.
"My achievement is gradually declining," he said.
La Paene complained that officials of Pertina's Jakarta chapter and the North Jakarta Mayor Subagio had promised him a job, but none of them fulfilled their promise.
The Jakarta chapter no longer paid attention to his wellbeing. La Paene missed the 2000 PON as Pertina did not allow him or compatriot Hermansen Ballo to participate. Pertina said the two boxers were prioritized for the Olympics.
La Paene said he had approached Subagio to discuss the promised job but to his disappointment the mayor said that the Jakarta authority did not admit new officials until 2003.
He said the Rp 500,000 (US$53) monthly allowance for attending the training program was no longer sufficient to make both ends meet.
"I am a married man with two children. The amount is not enough," said the husband of Nuraini and father of three-year-old Natasha and eight-month-old Galvin. (ivy)