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Boxing Officials Call For Safety As Priority: 'What Happened Could Have Been Avoided'
Iliesa Tora, Senior Sports Journalist
Two boxing officials have joined calls for tougher measures to protect Fijian boxers, following the death of the late Ubayd Haider last month.
Haider, also known as Nathan Singh, collapsed after his fight against Runqi Zhou in Nadi in October and did not recover from an urgent surgery performed on him.
Fijian Sports Minister Jese Saukuru ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the late boxer's death and said the team would not talk with persons of interest overseas, before revealing their findings.
Sydney-based boxing trainer Lepani Wilson said the safety of boxers, or other sports athletes' safety for that matter, should always be the top priority.
He questioned whether this was something that the Boxing Commission of Fiji (BCF) and boxing officials in Suva are ignoring.
"That should always be top priority," he said.
"In our day, we worked hard to make sure safety was always the focus," the former Professional Boxing and Wrestling Association of Fiji executive officer added.
Wilson said money should be secondary to promoters and officials, and if that had been followed, the late Haider would still be alive today.
He shared his thoughts following revelations that the late Haider had been admitted to a Sydney hospital with possible brain damage two years ago.
Wilson said that was one of the reasons Haider was never allowed to fight in Australia as safety was critical for Australian boxing officials to protect.
"He was admitted here, and somehow, someone released him without proper authority," Wilson said.
"Then he returned home and started appearing in fights there. I believe those signs seen two years ago, which led to his hospitalisation here, erupted into what caused him to collapse at the Nadi fight and his sad demise."
A report, alleged to have come from Liverpool Hospital's emergency department, revealed the boxer had been admitted with possible subdural haemorrhage.
The report, dated 8 November 2023 said the boxer, who was born Nathaniel Singh, was admitted to the hospital after three days of constant headaches, following sparring sessions he was involved in while training in Sydney.
RNZ Pacific has reached out to Sydney's Liverpool Hospital to verify the report.
Not wanting to point fingers at anyone in particular, Wilson believes that everyone involved could have diverted the fatal ending if they had cared to put safety before anything else.
Former national amateur rep and Suva-based boxing official Setoki Mafi agrees with Wilson.
He said that, while it was late for Haider and his family, the incident should be a lesson for all involved with boxing in Fiji.
"The Commission should have reps there, checking, making sure everything is 100 percent to go and if they see that there are signs things may not be okay then stop boxers from fighting or if they are fighting already, stop the fight," Mafi said.
"What happened could have been avoided if the safety aspect was taken seriously."
Former Fiji middleweight champion Jeremaia Tadu has also called on the commission put tougher measures in place for the safety of boxers.
Tadu told the Fiji Sun it was sad to see a young, promising boxer, die because of safety negligence and said the referees should also be on top of their game.
"The referee should have seen if the boxer was not defending himself. If the boxer does not reply after four or five punches have landed, then the referee should stop it."
Tadu said the BCF directors need to put in place tough measures so there is not a repeat of such fatal incident.
Local promoter Freddy Chand said, when asked why he allowed the late Haider to fight in his program, that he did not know about the Sydney incident.
"Simple answer, why did his family and the commission allow him to fight," Chand said, referring to the Liverpool Hospital medical report.
Probe almost done - minister
Meanwhile, Saukuru told FBC Sports the Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate Haider's death will also interview persons of interest overseas.
The minister said he could not reveal any other details at the moment.
However, he confirmed there are some overseas-based individuals the commission would like to speak with.
Haider was rushed to the Nadi Hospital following his loss to China's Zhou in the IBO Asia Pacific Super Featherweight bout at a South Pacific Boxing Promotion event on 26 October.
He passed away at Lautoka's Aspen Hospital on 10 November and was laid to rest at the Raralevu cemetery.
He is survived by his two young sons and wife, who are now under the care of his family.
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