RP pugs still to get invite to qualifier

With two weeks left before the start of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Bangkok, the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines has yet to receive an invitation from Thai organizers.

But Manny Lopez, the ABAP president, remains unfazed, saying with or without the invitation, six Filipino boxers will fly to Thailand in the hope of qualifying for the Beijing Olympics in August.

The tournament, scheduled Jan. 24 to Feb. 3, offers Olympic slots to the gold and silver medalists in all 12 divisions.

“They will see our faces in Bangkok,” said Lopez who graced yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Avenue where he raised a dozen points that led to their controversial protest of the recent SEA Games in Thailand.

“Up to now, even if the deadline for the submission of the entries to the Olympic qualifying tournament lapsed last Dec. 20, we have yet to receive an invitation from Thailand,” he said.

“But we will go there. We will bring in six boxers. If they don’t let us in, there will be a bigger issue of discrimination which is against the Olympic charter,” added the ABAP president.

Leading the short lineup, which will be finalized this week, are flyweight Violito Payla and bantam Joan Tipon. So far, only lightfly Harry Tañamor is assured of a slot to the Beijing Games.

After Thailand, the final Olympic qualifying tournament for Asian boxers will be held in March in Kazakhstan.

Lopez, secretary-general of the Asian Amateur Boxing Federation, defended their actions in the recent SEA Games where RP boxers surrendered to their Thai foes in the finals.

Of 13 finalists (seven men and six women) the Philippines only won one gold courtesy of Annie Albania who knocked out her Thai opponent. In the men’s finals, four RP pugs gave up the fight without throwing a punch.

“You can expect a lot of fireworks in the coming days. And we are threading on rough waters,” said Lopez who recently wrote AIBA Ching Kuo Wu regarding the SEA Games incident.

“He said he will look into it. Otherwise, we can elevate the matter to the International Olympic Committee,” said the ABAP chief who cited the malpractices committed by Thai boxing officials during the SEA Games.

He said boxing equipment not approved by AIBA was used, resulting in numerous knockouts and injuries to boxers and questioned the fielding of neutral referees that were favorable to the hosts.

“Where can you find a boxing tournament where a coach has one hand on a wireless telephone and an earphone while tending to his boxer? They were getting updates on the scoring that’s why,” said Lopez.