Sports minister wants boxing to continue
Sports minister wants boxing to continue
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman shrugged off yesterday calls for an end to boxing in Indonesia following the a death of a boxer last week, saying that the sport would continue.
"Don't seek a scapegoat for the accident. We know boxing is as risky and tough as parachuting, white water rafting and other dangerous sports," Hayono said during a meeting with chairman of the Indonesian Boxing Commission, Hendropriyono, yesterday.
But Hayono did ask the commission to improve its safety procedures in an effort to reduce the number of accidents during matches.
Hendropriyono met Hayono to discuss the ill-fated bout in which boxer Akbar Maulana lost his life last Friday.
National junior featherweight contender Akbar, 23, died 10 hours after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He fell unconscious after being knocked out by his opponent, Bugiarso, in the 12th round of their title fight.
Akbar was the ninth fatality in the country's boxing history, which began in 1959.
The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has, since 1983, joined the World Medical Association in calling for the sport to be banned.
"I'm very concerned about the accident," said Hayono, but added that he found nothing wrong with the safety procedures followed in professional boxing matches.
"The only problem is that the human resources do not implement the measures as expected," Hayono said.
Hayono, who was accompanied by staff member Imam Suyudi during the meeting, criticized pugilists who, for various reasons, refused to compete in amateur competitions before turning professional.
"Amateur competitions serve as a grounding for professional boxers, a means for them to improve their physical endurance and skills," Hayono said. He asked promoters to exclude boxers who wanted to start a professional career prior to accruing an amateur record.
Hendropriyono echoed Hayono's concern regarding Akbar's death, but said that the accident was outside anyone's control.
"I'm not going to blame the referee for not stopping the bout earlier. We never know precisely the level of a boxer's physical fitness in such a fierce bout," he said.
Hendropriyono, a former Jakarta Military commander, added his voice to those resisting the IDI's position that boxing be banned. "It's better if we join forces to improve the quality of safety of our national boxing," he said.
He also said that the boxing commission would soon hold a public discussion on the topic of safe bouts. (amd)