WBC pledges $5,000 donation to Indonesian boxers' bereaved

WBC pledges $5,000 donation to Indonesian boxers' bereaved

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Following the six-month provisional ban it imposed on Indonesia,
the World Boxing Council (WBC) has now pledged a US$5,000
donation to the families of dead boxers as an expression of the
council's concerns about the development of boxing in the
country, a WBC representative said.

Indonesian boxers Bayu Young Iray, Dipo Saloko, John Namtilu,
Moh. Alfaridzi and Donny Maramis all died in the ring over the
past 18 months. Their families will each receive US$1,000.

The six month ban from international tournaments run under the
auspices of the WBC and OPBF (Oriental Pacific Boxing
Federation), and the financial donations, were both announced at
the WBC's convention in Pattaya, Thailand, last week.

"Before the convention began I had lobbied for an aid pledge
for Indonesia," said Chandru G. Lalwani, WBC envoy to Indonesia,
who also acted as the country's spokesman at the Pattaya meeting.

"This is the WBC's way of lightening the burden on the
bereaved families," Chandru told The Jakarta Post here on
Tuesday.

"We (WBC) don't want to be labeled as a self-righteous body in
imposing the bans. The donations are a testament to our true
concerns for boxing's development," he said.

The donations will not be disbursed immediately, pending the
reinstatement of a state commission called BPPOPI, the
Professional Sports Supervising and Controlling Body.

Apart from the donations, in another move designed to help
rescue pro-boxing in Indonesia from its current plight, the WBC
has pledged to help the government organize a series of training
courses for medical attendants, ring officials and coaches.

"The WBC is ready to send over a number of skilled officials.
We are just waiting for the government's plans for the projects,"
Chandru said after meeting with a number of government officials
to discuss the issue.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the
National Sports Council (KONI). But KTI (Indonesian Boxing
Committee) and ATI, two rival bodies whose existence is now under
threat, were not represented in the discussions.

Meanwhile, a government official said the BPPOPI would be
reestablished early next year.

"We are currently trying to promote the plan. We still need
time to implement it," Toho Cholic Mutohir, the general director
of sports affairs at the National Education Ministry, said in a
separate interview.

A similar body actually did exist before, under the name of
BAPOPI. But it did not function effectively, and the KTI was
accused of interfering in its operations.

Subsequently, boxing contests appeared to be loosely
controlled, testified to by the high number of fatalities among
boxers.

However, the KTI presented a dubious account of the situation
at the WBC convention, in an apparent attempt to wash its hands
of responsibility.

"Its credibility has now been questioned. People don't seem to
trust it anymore. We have to act quickly. Something must be
done," Toho said.

"They (WBC) want a state commission which is legitimate and
reliable to handle pro-boxing activities in Indonesia, with the
risk of death being eliminated," he said.

With the body aiming to become the only one with the authority
to issue boxing licenses, KTI and ATI will certainly be reduced
to a more limited role.