PHILIPPINE Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez has
issued a call for sports officials to unite in the face of the crisis plaguing
the boxing team set to compete in the first Asian qualifying tournament in
Bangkok, Thailand, later this month and has personally voiced his support for
Pinoy boxers.
In a press briefing yesterday after a meeting with boxing
president Manny Lopez and boxing patron Manny V. Pangilinan, Ramirez said he
will personally accompany the team to Thailand and has also asked Philippine
Ambassador to Thailand Antonio Rodriguez to help mend the rift between Filipino
and Thai pugs.
"I won’t allow our boxers to go to war without our support,"
Ramirez said. "We (in sports) don’t agree all the time but there are times that
we need to be one. And this time is the time that we need to be one."
He added "Ambassador Rodriguez will be there (in the
qualifying) with us, hopefully to help ease the animosity between the
Philippines and Thailand."
Only light flyweight Harry Tanamor has so far clinched an
Olympic slot after he won a silver medal in the 2007 AIBA World Championship in
Chicago, Illinois.
The PSC chief is also seriously mulling bringing the RP
delegation for the 4th Asean Paragames slated Jan. 17 to 27 from Nakhon
Ratchasima to the venue of the qualifier to cheer for Filipino boxers.
"I will support Mr. Lopez in Thailand. He should not be alone in his quest to
have more Filipino boxers qualify for the Beijing Games," Ramirez said.
