BY NICK GIONGCO
Amid reports that a mysterious illness has sprung up in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the Philippine boxing team remains neck-deep in training and focused on its mission of securing slots to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines secretary general Ed Picson said no advisory has been sent by the International Boxing Federation (IOC) whether the Olympic qualifying tournament for Asia-Oceania in Wuhan scheduled Feb. 3-Feb. 14 will proceed or not.
The IOC had formed a task force that will handle boxing after it suspended the AIBA for corruption but with four weeks remaining, there seems to be no Plan B in sight.
Wuhan is one of five continental Olympic qualifying meets on tap with Buenos Aires assigned for the Americas, London for Europe and Dakar in Senegal for Africa.
The final chance to qualify takes place in Paris in May in what has been dubbed as the World Qualifiers.
So far, 59 people have shown signs of the pneumonia-like virus that has put seven on intensive care.
Picson said that while awaiting for an advisory from the IOC, the boxers will continue to train. The women’s team will camp out in Baguio City while the men’s will reside and train at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
The Tokyo Olympics is set July 24-Aug. 9.
Boxing remains the most productive in the Philippines’ small harvest of Olympic medals, winning five of the Philippines’ grand total of ten, two silver and three bronze medals.