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.