POC to ABAP: Be transparent

MANILA, Philippines - The Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) should have been transparent with its decision allowing its top two boxers to enter into long-term contracts with the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB).

“If they were more transparent with this we shouldn’t be asking questions now,” POC vice president Jose Romasanta, who sounded displeased, told The STAR yesterday.

“Now we are faced with questions that could have been avoided,” he said, adding that ABAP would have done better informing the POC of the situation much earlier.

Mark Anthony Barriga and Charly Suarez, the top Pinoy amateur boxers, are skipping the SEA Games in Singapore from June 5 to 16 because of their commitments with APB.

The 21-year-old Barriga, a veteran of the 2012 London Olympics and bronze winner in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, would have wanted to defend his light-flyweight title in the SEA Games.

“Pero naka-pirma na po kami sa AIBA (But we have signed up with APB),” he told The STAR. He added that there’s an APB leg scheduled in June.

The APB, which is professional in nature, has gathered the top 80 amateur boxers in the different weight classes, each of them signing five-year contracts. 

The APB would pit the boxers in six-round bouts in a calendar running throughout the year. At the end of each calendar, the APB world champions will be known.

For each fight, these boxers will receive guaranteed purses. The national federations which they represent, in this case ABAP, will also receive a sum equivalent to a certain percentage of boxers’ purses.

Romasanta said by signing up with the APB, Barriga and Suarez, a two-time SEA Games gold medalist and silver medalist in Incheon, may have placed their status as national boxers in jeopardy.

“We’re not here talking about just the SEA Games. What if their APB schedule would run in conflict with future meets, which one would they choose?” he said.

“Remember that Barriga and Suarez are priority athletes. Are we paying them P40,000 a month for them to become professional boxers?” Romasanta added.

Priority athletes in the national pool receive monthly allowances of P40,000 from the Philippine Sports Commission.

The chef-de-mission of the Philippine team said priority athletes who fail to represent the country in important meets may be stripped of their status.

“Why are they in the priority list if we cannot use them for tournaments like the SEA Games?” said Julian Camacho, who considers Barriga and Suarez gold medal potentials in Singapore.

Ed Picson, ABAP executive director, defended their action, saying boxers competing in the APB do not lose the right to represent their respective countries in major international events.

Picson also said APB offers slots to the 2016 Rio Olympics and that there are others who can ably take the places of Barriga and Suarez for the SEA Games.

“We have a bunch of boxers. It’s not just Barriga and Suarez. Let’s give the others a chance (in the SEA Games),” said Picson.

Romasanta is not buying the idea.

“Was that their primary intention? Or are the others being given the chance now because Barriga and Suarez are no longer available?” he said.

Romasanta is afraid that because of the long and heavy APB calendar, Barriga and Suarez may end up missing more international events where their services are needed.

“The fact they entered into five-year contracts means they agreed. But they must remember that we have other commitments,” he added.

Romasanta said he cannot understand why AIBA would schedule a tournament that would be in conflict with an event like the SEA Games. 

Two Filipino boxers, Irish Magno and Felix Marial, are part of the IOC scholarship program that will boost their chances of making it to Rio.

Romasanta said there are regular qualifying events for the Rio Olympics. He wondered if Barriga and Suarez will also be fielded in these events.

“Everything is up in the air until ABAP comes up with a clearer explanation of what it is. In the interest of transparency show us the APB contract,” Romasanta said.