WBC 'awards' Indonesia six-month ban

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has issued a six-month ban on Indonesian boxers from taking part in international tournaments due to the high incidence of boxing-related deaths, which has seen five casualties in the past 18 months.

The decision was taken during the council's convention, which was concluded in Pattaya, Thailand, on Thursday. More than 500 representatives from 50 countries attended the four-day meeting.

Chandru G. Lalwani, WBC envoy to Indonesia, said that the ban was a probation and subject to a review.

"We'll just wait and see whether boxing contests can improve within six months and whether the national boxing authority is serious in its intentions to improve the situation," he told The Jakarta Post by phone from Pattaya on Friday.

The ban means that Indonesian boxers are not entitled to championship or ranking fights under the auspices of the WBC and its Asia-Pacific affiliate, OPBF.

Chandru, who also chairs the WBC finance committee, said that the details of the ban needed to be disclosed.

"I will explain more on the details of this punishment when I arrive back in Jakarta. This needs further elaboration, because there are a number of incorrect rumors flying around at the moment," he said.

WBC and OPBF, however, did not rule out the possibility of endorsing fights under a special permit.

The two international bodies would like to see Indonesia carry out reforms in its boxing organization, which Chandru said should be aimed at upgrading medical treatment, the welfare of boxers, ring officials and coaches.

In response, Indonesian delegates pledged an overhaul with its plan to establish a state commission, called the supervising and controlling professional sports body (BP-POP), which the Ministry of National Education had delegated to Chandru to elaborate on the plan's details.

"I spoke to members of the convention about the plan on behalf of the government," Chandru said, adding that Toho Cholic Mutohir, the directorate general at the Ministry of National Education, had assigned him.

"Their response is positive," said Chandru, when asked about the WBC's stance. "I have even asked them to help and they promised they will," he added.

Chandru also clarified the ongoing news at home concerning two rival pro-boxing bodies, the Indonesian Boxing Commission (KTI) and the Indonesian Boxing Association (ATI).

"It's not true that their memberships have been suspended. The fact is that WBC has never recognized them as members," he said.

While ring deaths must have weighed heavily on the judgment, OPBF's ruling code denies the two boxing bodies any room to make an affiliation.

"OPBF has its own regulations. It is the state commission that holds the legitimacy to hold boxing bouts," he said.

Indonesian boxers have rarely sought participation at WBC championship bouts. The country's only two world boxing champions, Elyas Pical and Nico Thomas, have affiliated themselves with the WBC's rivals, the International Boxing Federation.