ABAP extends stay of two Cuban coaches

The Cuban coaches are staying for now.

The new leadership of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines announced Cubans Juan Enrique Steyners-Tissert and Dagoberto Rojas-Scott would remain at their posts while it is realigning its policies geared at the 2012 London Olympics.

“We’re still in the process of discussing all possibilities so there’ll be no coaching changes, the Cuban coaches will remain,” ABAP secretary-general Pato Gregorio said yesterday.

Gregorio, along with chair Manny V. Pangilinan and president Ricky Vargas, officially assumed office yesterday months after they were elected.

Former president Manny Lopez remains at ABAP in his present capacity as vice president.

Gregorio, however, stressed they’re not abandoning plans of replacing the Cubans with other coaches particularly those coming from Europe after Cuba suffered a debacle in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The powerhouse Cubans surprisingly failed to capture a gold in Beijing and settled for two silver medals and a bronze while Europeans accounted for majority of the gold medals staked.

“We’re not discounting anything until the new leadership and all stakeholders have decided,” said Gregorio, a former executive director of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

The decision means Steyners-Tissert and Rojas-Scott, who receive $3,000 from the Philippine Sports Commission chaired by William “Butch” Ramirez, will continue to train local boxers and help in the grassroots development program.

Steyners-Tissert was the Cuban national team coach from 1994 to 2002 and is a product of the Provincial Boxing Academy before serving as coach for Spain from 1992 to 1994.

Rojas-Scott served as coach for the High Performance National Center of Cuba and was credited for Cuba’s successful stints in two world championships.

The ABAP is laying the foundation of a stronger grassroots development program starting with the creation of regional training centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and a nationwide amateur boxing league to be sponsored by Smart.

“These are our initial plans but for now we’re busy preparing for the National Amateur Boxing Championship from Jan. 17-24 in Bacolod City where we will also have a conference to be attended by all stakeholders,” said Gregorio.