Pino almost certain to skip Olympic Games

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's middleweight boxer, Pino Bahari, is almost certain to miss the Atlanta Olympic Games in July due to a worsening spinal injury.

"The injury has prevented Pino from undergoing the training program, which in turn reduces his aerobic and anaerobic abilities," Suhantoro, chief of the National Sports Council's laboratory, said.

Suhantoro told reporters yesterday that the latest fitness tests, conducted last week on Indonesia's Atlanta-bound boxing team, revealed a setback on Pino's form, compared to the previous tests conducted on April 10.

Pino's fate will be officially announced by the sports council's chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, following his meeting today with the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association.

Pino, gold medalist in the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, was diagnosed as suffering spondilolisis lumbar 5 spondal 1 last month. Doctors recommended that he take an eight-week break.

Suhantoro will conduct a final check-up on Pino on June 8 to determine whether the 25-year-old boxer has recovered or not.

Subardi Soear, director of the national training project, refused to comment yesterday on Suhantoro's finding, but made it clear that letting Pino fight in Atlanta would adversely affect his career in the future.

"I know that Pino is mentally ready to fight. We just don't want him to suffer more if he goes to Olympics," Subardi said.

The sports council will continue giving Pino medical treatment, according to Subardi. "If he has not yet recovered by June 8, we will use physiotherapy," he said.

Other boxers, comprising featherweight Nemo Bahari, light flyweight La Paene Masara, flyweight boxer Hermansen Ballo and light middleweight boxer Hendrik Simangunsong, will fly to Cuba on May 19 for an overseas stint. They will also take part in two Olympic warm-up tournaments there.

Cuban coach Isidoro Trotman, national coach Daniel Bahari and the boxing body's secretary-general, Didiet Sedijoto, will accompany them in the outing.

Suhantoro said that he was satisfied with the test results of the remaining four boxers.

"In brief, I can say that their fitness is perfect and they are all ready to fight. We expect them to improve their form," he said. Hendrik was the only boxer to score a perfect mark during the tests.

While the four boxers are undergoing a training stint at the Army's special force base camp in Cijantung, East Jakarta, Pino remains at the Century Park Hotel undergoing medical treatment. He has to use a back brace and drink Chinese medicine made of turtle extract. (yan)