WBC president begins seminar in Jakarta today to try and stop all-too-common boxing deaths in Indonesia
For four years, depressing reports of boxing deaths have surfaced regularly from Indonesia.
Each year the World Boxing Council has raised this tragic issue at its annual convention.
WBC president Dr Jose Sulaiman ordered that a five-day seminar be held in Jakarta to discuss the subject, which starts today.
The meeting will be conducted by two of the organisations top boxing medical experts, Dr Paul Wallace of the US and Dr Nasser V. Cruz of the Philippines, along with prime boxing referee-judges, Hubert Minn of the US and Bruce McTavish, a New Zealander now based in Manila.
It has been titled the Safety Boxing Seminar and the experts will focus attention on many serious problems which have affected the lives of boxers and have caused 11 deaths and a number of injuries.
Dr Sulaiman said he would not rest until the situation was sorted out.
”If boxing isn’t safe and if human lives are lost due to ignorance of the sport, then we should rectify it or pack up and do something else,” he said.
”Safety of boxers is vital, otherwise the sport should not be allowed to continue. That’s what I have been insisting for years.
”Therefore, it is time we took strong action to end this grave situation. Indonesia has suffered 11 deaths in five years and according to the President of the OPBF, Frank Quill of Australia, five fatalities have occurred in 18 months, which is shocking and depressing.
”This has hurt the sport which we love so much.”
Boxing, by its nature, means participants face injury every time they step into a ring but the WBC are trying to minimise the risks involved.
Dr Sulaiman pointed out that he didn’t want to take negative action because he believes many of these tragic statistics may have been caused through ignorance.
Among setbacks he has cited are:
FLack of proper medical supervision with some fights being held even without ring doctors.
FThe absence of qualified medical officials who are capable of handling boxing injuries. And at least one injured fighter being treated with no proper electricity being available close to the ring.
FNo telecommunication facilities being provided to rush injured fighters to hospitals near the ring where fights have taken place.
Other issues he has pinpointed are:
FThe need for boxers to carry genuine documents when they go abroad for fights.
FTo have proper medical check-ups for hepatitis and Aids.
FTo make it mandatory for fighters to undergo annual medical examinations and carry certificates clearing them.
FTo ensure that all boxers who have been knocked out be rested for 60 days. And those who have suffered more than one knockout to undergo 60 additional days of rest for each knockout that they have suffered.
FTo rule out fights with major weight differences.
Refereeing and judging specialists Minn and McTavish have been advised to emphasise the need to stop fights a punch before a serious incident occurs during a fight, rather than wait until it is one punch too late.
They want to advise all Indonesian referees to summon ring doctors immediately after they notice minimal danger to a boxer’s health and not to wait till the end of a round.
