Barredo heads world blind sports body

Not too many know that former PSC commissioner Mike Barredo was reelected unopposed to serve a fresh four-year term as International Blind Sports Association (IBSA) president during the organization’s eighth General Assembly in Antalya, Turkey, recently.

That’s quite an honor considering Barredo, 53, sits on top of a global executive committee whose members come from Canada, Turkey, Israel, Russia, Italy, Algeria, Argentina, Malaysia, Ireland, New Zealand, Iran, Spain and the US.

Barredo joins Lito Puyat (basketball), Florencio Campomanes (chess) and Steve Hontiveros (bowling) as the only Filipinos ever to head a world sporting body.

Barredo was only 24 when he suffered a car accident at about 2 a.m. in front of the Rizal Coliseum in 1979. Overtaking from the right, he drove his car into a parked vehicle. His head banged against the windshield of his car, which was a total wreck. Barredo’s right eye was damaged beyond repair. He underwent at least 10 operations, three in the US, to save the vision in his left eye but to no avail.

Despite his blindness, Barredo – a former La Salle varsity player in football, volleyball, basketball, track and chess – was determined to live a full life. His wife Barbara was pregnant with their second child at the time of the accident and she later gave birth to Richard whom Barredo has never seen.

In 1989, Barredo received the Apolinario Mabini Award as an outstanding disabled person in business and in 1993, was presented a Ten Outstanding Young Men Award for humanitarian service and community development. In 1997, he organized the Philippine Sports Association of the Differently Abled (Philspada) to re-establish his love for sports.

Philspada has since been integrated with the National Paralympic Committee with Barredo as president. A few weeks ago, he hailed the efforts of Reps. Jose Carlos Lacson and Monico Puentevella to push for the amendment of R. A. No. 9064 or the “National Athletes, Coaches and Trainers Benefits and Incentives Act of 2001” in Congress.

The amendment seeks to give cash and non-monetary benefits and incentives for athletes with disabilities, including their coaches and trainers. This would allow disabled athletes to enjoy the benefits of the financial rewards at par with athletes competing under ordinary conditions.

“Disabled athletes competing in international events like the Paralympic Games and counterparts of the Asian and Asean Games undergo the same amount of training, discipline and dedication as the regular athlete and it is only fitting that they be equally rewarded for their efforts in achieving glory for God and country,” said Barredo. “We’re hoping and praying that the Senate and House of Representatives approve and enact the measures at the earliest possible time to motivate our athletes in their quest for success in their events.”

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Retired San Francisco police officer Joe Robles is in the record books as Luisito Espinosa’s last registered manager but was never able to arrange a fight for the former two-time world boxing champion.

Robles, 55, said he negotiated a bout for Espinosa against Mongolia’s Lakva Sim in San Jose in 2005 but on the day of the match, California State Athletic Commission official Armando Garcia made an unreasonable demand.

“All of a sudden, Garcia wanted an MRI of Louie’s brain,” said Robles. “It was totally uncalled for. I didn’t agree to it because Louie would’ve been exposed to all that radiation before the fight. His purse of $3,000 was never given and I really don’t know how the promoters settled with the sponsors and paying customers.”

Espinosa was 37 and never got clearance from the State Commission to fight again.

“Our lawyer Brian Soriano tried to do what he could to lift Louie’s suspension but Garcia wouldn’t budge,” said Robles. “The pay would’ve helped out Louie. It’s just a pity that such a great world champion was so poorly treated. Imagine, a Filipino promoter still owes him $130,000 for a fight in 1997.”

Espinosa, who turns 42 next month, wound up his career losing six of his last nine bouts and finished with a record of 47-13, with 26 KOs.

Robles retired from the police force three years ago and is now involved in social community development with overseas Filipino workers. He still lives in San Francisco but plans to move to Manila with wife Carmel, an information technology specialist, this year.

“I’m from Cebu and my wife is from Leyte,” said Robles who has been married 14 years. “I’ve done a lot of work with and for OFWs and my plan is to run for Congress in the next elections as a party-list candidate.”