Pino trains at home for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Boxing Association has agreed to let Pino Bahari train in his hometown of Denpasar, Bali, instead of with the centralized training program in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.

The association's chairman, Poul Toding, said he would not interfere with Pino's training program.

"My and the association's interest is only to see him win the gold medal at the SEA Games," he said.

Pino, who fights in the 75 kgs class, won the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, China. But he slipped to silver in the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Pino has written to the association to state his intention of retiring to go professional.

But the National Sports Council's chairman, Wismoyo Arismunandar, has urged Pino to attend centralized training.

Daniel Bahari, Pino's father and coach, said yesterday that Pino had promised to train and win a gold medal at the Games. He asked the council to let him coach Pino in Denpasar.

"There are two reasons. One, we have a sinshei (Chinese medicine man) who can cure Pino's back injury. Second, Pino will become a pro boxer. I'm afraid if we let him practice with amateur boxers, his performance will get worse," he said.

Pino failed to compete at the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, because of his back injury.

He preferred to train in Denpasar because he was still undergoing physiotherapy.

"Based on my experience, my injury will get worse if I'm being trained in Jakarta," he said.

Pino said he had sacrificed enough for the country. He wanted to finish his studies at a hotel academy in Nusa Dua, Bali, which he had abandoned for five years.

He wants to turn pro to earn more money because he only receives an allowance during the national training program as an amateur.

Poul said that Pino would not box in some selection tournaments.

The association plans to send boxers to Teheran for a tournament from Feb. 14 to Feb. 21. Another six boxers are expected to compete at the Young Men's Christian Association competition and three more at the Adajania Cup junior boxing championship. Both tournaments will be held in New Delhi from March 5 to March 11.

Indonesian boxers have also been invited to take part in the King's Cup in Bangkok from April 5 to April 11.

The national squad is expected to train in Cuba in August and September before the SEA Games here in October.

Poul said Pino would box in the President Cup, which is scheduled for Bogor, West Java, in July.

Promoter Tourino Tidar said that Wismoyo would allow Pino to turn pro after he joined the national squad for the Games.

Tourino plans to contract Pino for Rp 100 million (US$41,700) for five matches on the condition that Pino joins the national squad for the Games.

Pino is expected to have his first pro fight early next year.

"If something happens to his injury after the Games, I'll discuss it then with Pino and Daniel," Tourino said.

He said he did not mind if Pino wanted to train in Denpasar.

"Technical problems are not my business," he said.

Wismoyo is scheduled to witness Tourino hand over a Rp 15 million down payment to Pino today. (yan)