Barriga lone Pinoy fighter; Suarez appeal denied

MANILA, Philippines - The International Boxing Association (AIBA) on Tuesday denied the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines’s request for lightweight boxer Charly Suarez to be accorded an invitation to the London Olympics, leaving Mark Anthony Barriga as the lone Filipino fighter in the Games.

In an email to ABAP president Ricky Vargas, AIBA executive director Ho Kim said: “After numerous discussions with IOC, the quota in the weight category which you requested was returned to AIBA since IOC could not find a suitable place in the Tripartite Selection. Therefore, following the Olympic Qualifying Guidelines approved by the IOC Executive Board, the next Best Boxer from the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships is supposed to be selected.”

“Following the Competition Protocol list, we regrettably found out that your boxer does not meet the qualification to be the next Best Boxer in your continent. We would like to truly express our regret to inform you on such matter,” said Kim.

The ABAP had earlier written a formal request to AIBA president Ching Kuo-Wu to consider Suarez based on his performance as a finalist in the Asian Qualifying Tournament in Astana, Kazakhstan, where he lost an unpopular decision to China’s Qiang Liu.

Suarez also turned in spectacular results as a boxer for the Mumbai Fighters of India in the AIBA-organized World Series of Boxing (WSB). 

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao also expressed his support for the request in a personal letter to Wu as did Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose Cojuangco Jr.

This leaves Barriga as the lone Filipino bet in the boxing competitions. He fights in the light flyweight category (49 Kg.), the same weight class which won an Olympic silver (Mansueto Velasco Jr., Atlanta ‘96) and bronze (Roel Velasco, Barcelona, ‘92) for the Philippines. 

Bronze medalist Velasco will act as Barriga’s coach in London.