Sad News, Bondowoso Boxing Athlete Dies While Competing In Porprov East Java

Boxing illustration. (Photo: Pexels/Mikhail Nilov)

JAKARTA - Boxer from Bondowoso, Farhat Mika Rahael Riyanto passed away after appearing in the VIII/2023 Provincial Sports Week (Porprov) match in East Java. After this incident, the match was permanently stopped.

Farhat began to lose consciousness in the third round of the last eight matches against athletes from Blitar Regency. He fainted in the ring and was immediately handled by a medical team that provided breathing assistance through oxygen cylinders.

With Farhat's condition not improving, the organizers immediately rushed him to the Jombang Hospital. Furthermore, the team of doctors at the Jombang Hospital conducted a CT scan and found bleeding in the boxer's brain.

Chairman of the East Java Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), M Nabil, in his written statement said that Farhat had been treated intensively but his life could not be saved.

"From there, the athlete was then treated in the ICU room, but until 02.30 WIB he had not yet recovered. After waiting two hours he was finally declared dead," Nabil said as quoted by Antara on Wednesday, September 13.

Nabil explained that the procedures and stages of matches had been carried out according to applicable standards. This is in accordance with the confirmation given by the technical delegation or TD of the East Java VIII/2023 Porprov boxing match.

The stages of safety standards and match health have been met with procedures, including the feasibility of competing starting from physical health checks and previous match records that have been checked.

"This means that there are no violations committed by the organizers before or during the match," he said.

"The weight of the body will not be carried out if the health check is not good. So the match automatically cannot be held if the health condition is not good," said Nabil.

Meanwhile, KONI's Legal Division, East Java, Mustofa Abidin, explained that all efforts had been made according to the provisions. This is based on the information of all parties, including the organizing committee for the East Java VIII/2023 Porprov boxing match.

"No rules have been violated, both match rules and match equipment rules, medical support is also ready," said Mustofa.

"While at the hospital, the athlete was immediately treated intensively according to the release given by the doctor," he continued.

In the aftermath of this incident, Nabil as the Chairman of the East Java KONI stated that the match was stopped without any continuation. "We will stop the match against boxing in Jombang. There will be no follow-up," he said.

In addition, this incident also caught the attention of the Governor of East Java, Khofifah, who also expressed her condolences for the death of the athlete, as well as the East Java KONI management.

"The Governor and all the East Java KONI management express their condolences. May the deceased be accepted in the best place by Allah SWT and the family left behind will be given fortitude," he said.

As a form of responsibility, PB Porprov together with a number of East Java KONI administrators made a pilgrimage to the funeral home in Bondowoso led directly by the Chairman of PB Porprov VIII/2023 East Java Ali Afandi.