Day 3 of the 88th annual WBA convention in Medellin, Colombia opened today with a lecture entitled “Motivation and Leadership,” by WBA Directorate member Miguel Prado. Prado is also a presiding faculty member at
University of
Panama, as a professor of Public Administration. The goal of the lecture was to provide tools and tactics in improving organizational leadership, and motivating members of any organization to improves performance.
Prado expressed how former champs Ricardo Lopez and Fidel Bassa were examples of boxers how applied these principles to succeed not only in the ring, but in business and in life itself.
Next up on the agenda was the medical seminar presented by Dr. Calvin Inal-Singh. Dr. Singh conducted several medical seminars this year, including in
Torreon,
Mexico (prior to the Nehomar Cermeño – Cristian Mijares I card), in
Panama in September during the WBA K.O. Drugs tournament, as well as in
Trinidad during their own WBA K.O. Drugs tournament. After an introduction of the WBA medical advisory board, each member spoke on various topics as related to boxing.
First up Dr. Benjamin Molina Moros of Venezuela spoke to drug testing compliance, testing centers world wide and the WBA’s continued work with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) toward this end. Following, Dr. John Fleming of
South Africa delivered a comprehensive talk on anti-doping, various doping methods and testing at boxing tournaments. Next Mr. Carlos Chavez of
Venezuela discussed in more detail the WBA compliance with WADA, especially from a legal stance.
Miss Shivana Inal-Singh of Trinidad &Tobago then spoke on gender specific health and safety issues in female boxing. Inal-Singh concentrated on the topics of breast protection and whether or not females with breast implants should be allowed to box at all, and the Female Athlete Triad (disordered eating, the absence of menstrual cycle and premature osteoporosis). WBA Female Boxing Committee Chairman George Martinez of
Toronto followed with more info on protection in female boxing. Dr. Winston Grenald of Panama and Dr. Miriam Gonzalez of Venezuela closed out the female boxing aspect of the medical seminar with a talk concerning the pre-fight physicals as they pertain to female boxers (pregnancy tests for example).
Dr. Barry Jordan of
Burke
Rehabilitation
Hospital in
White Plains,
New York delivered a lecture on all things weight loss and dehydration and the effects of such on the boxer. WBA legal advisor Robert Mack then discussed the weigh-in rules and medical testing as practiced by the WBA. The cases of the scuttled Valuev-Chagaev rematch in
Finland and the post-fight urinalysis issue at the Campillo – Shumenov fight in
Kazakhstan were also discussed.
Dr. Arturo Reyes of
Venezuela discussed advances in rehabilitation after injury in the ring and how the controversial practice of human growth hormone can be applied.
Dr. Calvin Inal-Singh closed out the session reviewing the WBA safety code. Areas of discussion included the three knock-down rule, weigh-ins, past medical history, previous suspensions, retinal detachments, etc.
As the medical seminar ended, executive vice president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza shared memories of the 20 year history of the WBA K.O. Drugs program. He reflected on the eventual champs that participated as young fighters such as Roman Gonzalez, Ricardo Mayorga, Ricardo Lopez, Mauricio Pastrana, Felix Machado, Juan Landaeta, Michael Moorer, Julio Cesar Vazquez, and so many more. “Through them, the message of K.O. Drugs has been conveyed multiple times,” said Mendoza Jr.
