WBC 'awards' Indonesia six-month ban

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.