AFP RELEASES BOXERS TO BEGIN TRAINING IN QUEST FOR OLYMPIC GOLD
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 24 Jul 2015
Sec. Voltaire Gazmin.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has released boxers from the national pool of the Alliance of Boxing Associations of the Philippines so they could begin training, even belatedly, so they could have time to train for the Asian Championships which opens in Bangkok, Thailand on August 25 which serves as a qualifier for the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in October, following pleas from ABAP president Ricky Vargas and executive director Ed Picson.
Picson informed the New Standard/boxingmirror.com that coach Gerson Nietes had informed him that their Air Force commander had asked the boxers and coaches to report to Villamor Air Base before leaving for the training camp in Baguio City last night.
Vargas thanked Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and the armed forces for their decision to release the fighters after they had been recalled to their various military units when their Detailed Service permits from the AFP lapsed on June 30 with an extension being sought by the PSC only until days after the DS had lapsed leaving the AFP no choice but to recall the boxers and re-assign them to their mother units.
Vargas said "we are grateful that Secretary Gazmin and our armed forces commanders realized the importance of proper training for combat in the boxing ring just as they need to be properly trained to effectively defend our people and country's honor in times of any confrontation. We at ABAP take our task of pursuing the quest for an Olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio de Janiero Games with the same dedication and commitment that our military men pay to their assigned tasks. If we work together, we can surely fulfill our dreams."
The agreement on the DS permits was entered into by PSC chairman Garcia and the AFP with the ABAP out of the picture.
However, the failure of the PSC to act on time forced ABAP president Ricky Vargas to appeal to Secretary Gazmin to allow the chosen boxers and their trainers to get back into training camp since time was running out.
In a letter dated July 16 Vargas told Gazmin that ?after our successful stint in the SEA Games last June we started to prepare them for the all-important qualification tournaments for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.? Vargas noted "as you probably realize boxers need more than two months of training for such an important tournament. Thus they are now behind schedule? even as he appeal to Gazmin to allow the boxers to return to their training center to resume preparation for the Olympic qualifiers as soon as possible.?
There are eight boxers who include gold medalists in the recent Southeast Asian Games where the Philippines won 5 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals to emerge as boxing champions well as their coaches who were reportedly released yesterday.
Among the boxers were London Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga, Rey Saludar, Wilfredo Lopez, Eumir Felix Marcial, Dennis Galvan, Junel Cantancio. Mario Fernandez, Gerson Nietes, Joegin Ladon and Nico Magliquian.
The coaches are Pat Gaspi, Ronald Chavez, Harry Tanamor, Romeo Brin, Violito Payla and Elmer Pamisa.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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