GAB TO ROTATE ASSIGNMENT OF RING OFFICIALS

UNITED IN BOXING. GAB Chairman Baham Mitra (5th from right) with the APPBRO at the GAB Makati office.

By LITO DELOS REYES

MANILA, Philippines (Aug. 23) — New Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Abraham Khalil “Baham” Mitra, the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) said that the assignment of the ring officials, particularly the boxing judges and referees will now be rotated.

This was agreed during his meeting with the officers and members of the Manila-based Association of Professional Boxing Organization (APPBRO) held August 18 at his office in Makati.

Present were GAB boxing chief Dr. Nasser Cruz, Chief Administrative Officer Ofelina Artugue and APPBRO president Greg Ortega.

Also present were international referee-judge Jerold Tomeldan, Ferdie Estrella, Grandioso Llanera, Monika Ortega, Silvestre Abainza, Gil Co, Al Laneta and Carlo Baluyot.

“There should be a mandatory post-fight conference, particularly if there is or are issues involved,” said Mitra, who made his first public appearance as the GAB Chairman in the recently-held “The Road to Glory” boxing promotion held August 13 at the Makati Square Fitness Arena in Makati City.

Also agreed upon was that all boxing events should be video-taped or recorded and that a Committee be created to evaluate and rate all ring officials.

“A criteria as well as sanctions for the ring officials be made or established and that all boxing fights will now be uploaded on the “YouTube”said Mitra, who also thinks that the social media like the Facebook can also really help promoters in promoting their events.

They also agreed to conduct a GAB outreach program through seminars and trainings for boxing aspirants, starting from the barangay level to coincide with boxing events on that locality.

They also want “that those officiating personnel who are not assigned in the world title, championship fight be allowed to attend in the said event, provided that a written request is forwarded to the Office of the Chairman or to the Office of the Boxing and other contact sports divisions and the promoter approved the same”.

“A dialogue of boxing promoters, managers, referees and judges within Metro Manila will be scheduled to take up these matters,” said Mitra, who just arrived from Davao City to grace the 31st Kadayawan Festival.

Mitra, a former Governor and Congressman of Palawan, said he will “continue to have dialogues and coordination with the other stakeholders to arrive at a common ground.”

“As it is, the number of promoters have gone down and we need to reach out to them and assist in any way just to make sure the fights are fair and safe,” said Mitra.

Mitra is also an avid gamefowl aficionado and a basketball fan. In fact, he also still plays basketball and had recently played a practice game in Davao with Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, head of the Presidential Management Staff of President Rody Duterte.

When he was still a congressman, Mitra had witnessed the fight of Sen. Manny Pacquiao against Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA last April 2014.

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GAB Chairman Baham Mitra (2nd from right) with his son shown with international boxing promoter/matchmaker Brico Santig (2nd from left) and boxing writer-judge Lito delos Reyes of Filght News Asia during “The Road to Glory” boxing event held August 13 at the Makati Square Fitness Arena in Makati City. (Photo by FRANCIS VERSOZA)