The Japan Boxing Commission and Japan Pro Boxing Association agreed on Oct. 15 to tighten their guidelines concerning the staging boxing events amid the recent delay in obtaining the results of PCR tests for boxers and trainers concerned on the eve of a fight, which forced the cancellation of a bout in Tokyo.

Announcing five people related to a boxing gym in Tokyo tested positive for the novel coronavirus after taking PCR tests, including a boxer and his chief second who had to cancel the bout in the Oct. 13 event at Korakuen Hall, both organizations reached the agreement at their liaison-council meeting about measures against the COVID-19.

The present practice is PCR tests are conducted after the weigh-in at the JBC, and the specimens taken there are brought to a local inspection organization to see whether they are positive or negative, which causes some time lag.

Both organizations agreed to consider having PCR tests conducted directly at a medical establishment to speed up the procedures. ‘’That way, the relationship between the medical establishment and the inspection body will become smoother,’’ JBC Secretary General Tsuyoshi Yasukouchi said.

Also, there was a case where a second, not a chief second, entered the ring to give advice to his boxer. Another case was a second was giving advice to his boxer with a loud voice without wearing a mask properly, according to Yasukouchi.