Several Filipino boxing personalities have joined the international sports community in expressing support for Ukraine, which is now under attack by Russia.
Liza Elorde of the famed Elorde Promotions posted pictures of her husband Johnny Elorde with former cruiserweight champion Vitali Klitschko during the 2018 World Boxing Convention in Kyiv, Ukraine where the latter serves as mayor.
“Mayor Vitali Klitschko who was a former world heavyweight champ here with Johnny (asks for prayers). He is now in full battle gear fighting the Russians. Let us offer prayers, especially for the children caught in this war,” said Liza.
Positive comments both from boxing and non-boxing personalities have poured in calling for peace and prayers.
Ring official Jerrold Tomeldan and trainer Glenn Mondol and lady boxer Renalyn Daquel also called for prayers and peace in support of Ukraine, which has produced big names in professional boxing like Vitali and his brother Vladimir, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko.
The four prominent Ukrainian boxing champs have joined their country’s military forces to fight the invading Russians.
Usyk, currently the unified heavyweight champion after beating Anthony Joshua last September, left a comfortable life in the United Kingdom to help fight for his country.
Lomachenko has secured his family’s safety in Greece and came back to Ukraine to don the military uniform.
The World Boxing Council also responded to Russia’s action by suspending “all WBC boxing in Russia until and unless this conflict gets resolved agreeably.”
“We condemn this war in the strongest terms, demand peace in the region. After careful deliberation, we are committed to taking this action to back up our words,” said the WBC, headed by its president Mauricio Sulaiman, in a statement.
Other boxing world bodies later joined WBC in calling for peace.
The heads of the four major bodies signed a unified statement, namely Sulaiman, Daryl Peoples of the International Boxing Federation, Francisco Valcarcel of the World Boxing Organization and Gilberto Mendoza of the World Boxing Association.
“Just as the world claims for cease of fire, our organizations have decided to not sanction any boxing championships in Russia. Just as this war has put a stop to boxing in Ukraine, our organizations will not sanction fights in Russia until further assessment of the situation,” the statement said.
The International Olympic Committee has also called on international sports federations and organizers to ban athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus.
Even before IOC’s appeal the word federation for football, FIFA, was among the first ones to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
“First and foremost, FIFA would like to reiterate its condemnation of the use of force by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. Violence is never a solution and FIFA expresses its deepest solidarity to all people affected by what is happening in Ukraine,” it said in a statement.
“FIFA calls again for the urgent restoration of peace and for constructive dialogue to commence immediately.”