By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Contrary to insinuations from some quarters that the sudden demise of a boxing athlete, Igbuoargo Chukwuemeka, during a boxing bout in Tuesday, December 6, tue Delta State Commissioner for Information and head, Publicity for the 2022 National Sports Festival, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, has said, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the sports festival had enough medics and adequate medical facilities to tackle any emergency.
Aniagwu who briefed the press on Wednesday, on circumstances surrounding the untimely demise of the boxer who is 25 years of age, said the boxer died while competing in the 86kg boxing bout against Prince Gaby Amagor of Delta State. He stated that it is pertinent to set the record straight, maintaining that medics at the boxing event battled to save his life, but he passed.
The commissioner said; it was a sad news and tragic moment for the Boxing Federation of Nigeria, the Government and people of Imo State, the immediate family of the deceased and the nation at large, but he however exonerated the deceased coach and the medics by the ring side from any blame, stating that the LOC made adequate arrangements for any form of emergencies especially as regard to health related cases.
He revealed that the state commissioner for health is the head of the medical team with renowned doctors and nurses as members.
“You can see medical team as you entered the stadium and ambulances positioned at strategic points.
“All the ambulances you see are not just painted buses but well equipped to attend to any emergency until they get to the referral center which is he Federal Medical Center not far from here”.
He said it is very important to let the public know what transpired but said insisted that it was not as a result of inadequate medical facilities or lack of medics.
Continuing the commissioner noted that the boxer died a patriot and a hero as he was out to represent his state and the nation at large.
The commissioner expressed his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family, the government of Imo State and the country at large, noting that an approval from the relevant authority is being waited before an autopsy will be carried out to ascertain the cause of the untimely death of the boxer.
A minute silence was later observed in honour of the deceased boxer who passed at the Event Centre, Asaba.