GAB mulls MRI for boxers
Games and Amusements Board chairman Abraham Mitra said it is considering including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as one of the requirements for professional boxers.
In a GAB ratings committee meeting Wednesday, Mitra mentioned to attendees, which included promoters, managers, matchmakers and boxers, that “as a response to the recent debate between senators Drilon and Pacquiao during the interpellations on Senate Bill No. 1306, the GAB is now inclined and seriously studying requiring all professional boxers to undergo MRI”.
Under the proposal, boxers shall be required to undergo MRI tests after or before a fight.
Sen. Pacquiao was quoted in the Senate debate transcript as saying that “GAB is not doing it and not imposing MRI. They should do it”.
However, boxing stakeholders initially opposed to MRI test said this would be costly to the boxers and those involved.
“This is another imposition on the boxers. The promoters will surely carry the burden. This imposition could kill Philippine boxing as they might stop promoting because of the high cost of MRI which is about P812,000,” said Art Mones, a leading matchmaker.
The GAB, thru Mitra and its commissioners, regularly meet with boxing stakeholders in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to add muscle to the Philippine boxing program through dialogues and consultations.
Mitra said the GAB recognizes this wisdom from the start for the welfare of the boxers. It’s just a question of budget, and GAB has reiterated that need from the inception of the discussions, he said.
“Our mandate is to look after the welfare of the boxers and we do all our best to make sure they are all fit to fight and avoid mismatches,” said Mitra.”We look up to Sen. Manny as our godfather and guru and if he feels very strongly that MRI should be imposed then we will heed his advice and do so.”