Pugilist Pino Bahari misses Atlanta Olympic opportunity

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian middleweight boxer Pino Bahari's dreams of winning a medal at the Olympics was shattered when the national sports controlling body decided not to send him to Atlanta because of injury.

The National Sports Council chief Wismoyo Arismunandar made the decision on Wednesday following a thorough study of reports concerning the physical condition of Pino who had sustained a lower back injury.

"I personally forbid Pino to go to the Olympic Games because according to the health reports his injured lower back has not yet healed. If we insist on sending him it will endanger his health," said Wismoyo, a former Army chief.

"Because of his injury, Pino can't fully do his workout. This makes him unprepared for a fight," he added.

The 1990 Asian Games gold medalist was diagnosed as suffering an injury in the spondilolisis lumbar 5 spondal 1 region last month. Doctors recommended that he take an eight-week rest.

Suhantoro, chief of the National Sports Council's laboratory, said earlier that he would check the 25-year-old boxer's physical condition on June 8 to determine the extent of progress in treatment of the fighter's injury.

Pino, who is staying at the Century Park Hotel, has to wear a back brace and drink Chinese traditional medicine made of turtle extract.

Pino himself said that he wants to concentrate on his recovery.

"After I'm well I'm going back home to Denpasar. Maybe I'll fight again in the National Games, but that's it. No more fighting," he said.

Pino rejected the possibility that he would take part in next year's Southeast Asian Games, to which Jakarta will play host.

On Wednesday, four other boxers, featherweight Nemo Bahari, light flyweight La Paene Masara, flyweight Hermansen Ballo and light middleweight Hendrik Simangunsong, were officially sent off by Wismoyo to Cuba for an overseas stint before going to the Olympics.

Cuban coach Isidoro Trotman, national coach Daniel Bahari and the boxing body's secretary-general, Didiet Sudijoto, are accompanying them.

The boxers will take part in the Cordoba-Cardin tournament in Camaquey from May 28 to June 6 and the Pedro Soto Alba tournament in Holkuin from June 5 to June 12.

They will fly to Atlanta on July 10 to join the Indonesian contingent. (yan)