Pino Bahari excluded from RI's SEA Games boxing team

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's light heavyweight boxer Pino Bahari was left out of the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team yesterday.

The Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association's chairman, Poul Toding, said the decision was made based on observations during the national training program and the President Cup tournament in Bogor which ended Saturday.

"The decision is final and announced through the media. I believe nobody will try to change our decision," Poul said.

Pino's father and coach Daniel Bahari had refused to let his son join the SEA Games team since it began centralized training.

But Pino had to compete in the Games because of his plans to turn to professional, as required in his Rp 100 million (US$37,750) contract with promoter Tourino Tidar.

Unfortunately, the 1990 Asian Games gold medalist lost to Thailand's Somsak Tantraporn 3-9 in the first match of the President Cup.

Poul said "we won't field a boxer who lost to his rival-to-be at the SEA Games".

The association's executive director, Imron ZS, said Indonesia hoped to win at least four of the 11 gold medals on offer at the SEA Games here from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

Indonesia did not win any golds at the 1995 Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The association named 12 boxers in the team. They are Rusli (pin-weight 45kgs), La Paene Masara (light flyweight 48kgs), the President Cup's best fighter Hermansen Ballo (flyweight 51kgs), Dufri Masihor (bantamweight 54kgs), Rico Maspaitella (featherweight 57kgs), Wilpare Jamhur (light weight 60kgs), Meckson Barataman (light welterweight 63.5kgs), Bara Gommies (welterweight 67kgs), Aswin Cabui (light middleweight 71kgs), Albert Papilaya (middleweight 75kgs) and Syarif Hidayat (light heavyweight 81kgs).

The team will leave for Cuba on Aug. 10 as part of its preparations.

Cuban coaches Isidro Trotman and Julio Lee along with national coach William Gommies will accompany the boxers to Cuba.

Poul said the athletes would concentrate on sparring in Cuba.

The association will also send Damianus Jordan (light flyweight), Syamsul Bahri (flyweight), Martin Sihombing (bantamweight), Victor Ramos (featherweight) and Sonny Rambing (light welterweight) to the Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur from Aug. 25 to Sept. 1.

"If they qualify at the championship, they have a chance to compete at the world championships in Bucharest from Oct. 19 to Oct. 27," Poul said. (yan)