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Have stricter rules, more checks to protect fighters

It is time the authorities stepped up and reviewed combat sports in the interests of preventing individuals from being debilitated for life, or even dying.

The casket of World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (WBPF) president Pradip Subramanian leaving the wake at Woodlands. Photo: Najeer Yusof/TODAY

The casket of World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (WBPF) president Pradip Subramanian leaving the wake at Woodlands. Photo: Najeer Yusof/TODAY

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Manoraj Rajathurai

It is time the authorities stepped up and reviewed combat sports in the interests of preventing individuals from being debilitated for life, or even dying.

That would be such a waste, as the latest incident makes clear (AFC fight tragedy: Organisers rapped for ‘marketing stunt gone wrong’; Sept 25).

As a former physical training instructor in the armed forces, I trained boxers for tournaments and also indulged in boxing for fun.

But it became serious when one took a telling blow to the body or, worse still, the head; it stayed with you for a long time.

It was just as well we were young and were well-conditioned, but even then, it made one aware of how painful a punch could be.

It is little wonder that there are those against it, and this becomes clearer when one examines the long-term effects of boxing, especially involving pugilists at the highest level: The heavyweight category.

After years of fighting to earn enough and have a decent life, many end up being punch-drunk. It is obvious in the way they communicate and move, and it is excruciating to watch. This is the price to pay.

Even a champ like Muhammad Ali could not escape the after-effects of taking too much punishment. Though he did better than most when it came to fame and fortune, he suffered physically for years and was never the same again.

So the question for those who would indulge: Is it worth it? I would say no, but there are those would find ways to justify it.

If it cannot be stopped, at least caution must be exercised by making the rules more stringent to protect the fighter.

Each individual must be subject to proper training and checked to see if he is fit to fight before bouts. That would go a long way towards ensuring that suffering, even tragedy, does not follow.

If we care about the sport and its participants, we must ensure that it is run not only on the right lines, but also with consideration towards all who put themselves in the ring.

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