Aiba nixes Suarez’ Olympic bid

There will be no last-minute addition to the Philippine team of 11 athletes in the London Olympics set July 27-Aug.12.

The International Boxing Association (Aiba) turned down the request of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines for lightweight Charly Suarez to join  qualifier light flyweight Mark Anthony Barriga as a wild card bet.

Aiba executive director Ho Kim informed Abap president Ricky Vargas through e-mail Tuesday that Suarez failed to meet the standards of the Olympic Qualifying Guidelines set by the International Olympic Committee.

“After numerous discussions with IOC, the quota in the weight category which you requested was returned to Aiba since the IOC could not find a suitable place (for Suarez) in the Tripartite Selection,” said Kim. “Therefore, following the Olympic Qualifying Guidelines approved by the IOC Executive Board, the next Best Boxer from the 2011 Aiba World Boxing Championships is supposed to be selected.”

Suarez lost to Luiz Enrique Porozo Mina of Ecuador in the first round of the world championships last year in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The other members of the 11-man Olympic-bound Philippine team are swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Khing Lacuna, long jumper Marestella Torres, steeplechaser Rene Herrera, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, shooter Brian Rosario, BMX rider Daniel Caluag, judoka Tomohiko Hoshina and archers Rachel Ann Cabral and Mark Javier.

Rosario, Alkhaldi and Lacuna will leave for London tonight to mix it up with athletes from other countries in their respective pre-games training camp scheduled to run for three weeks.