Japan Sports Agency will send its staff to the March 11 boxing event at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall to see if there are cheers for boxers, currently prohibited to prevent the possible novel coronavirus infections, and other matters concerned with the prevention of the COVID-19, boxing officials said on Feb. 22.

This is because JSA is considering easing the regulations on the number of spectators allowed to visit boxing events, along with financial assistance, when the ongoing state of emergency is lifted as planned on March 7.

This was discussed at the day’s liaison committee meeting on the COVID-19 between the Japan Boxing Commission and Japan Pro Boxing Associations.

The matter that two boxers were banned from taking part in the Feb. 21 All-Japan Rookie Tournament at Korakuen Hall was taken up at the meeting as they showed positive test results in PCR tests. While another boxer proved positive, he was allowed to compete since he proved negative in the reexamination.

Of the two boxers who had positive PCR tests, one of them had a hard time finding a new hotel to accommodate him as he was not from the areas around Tokyo.

JPBA officials said they managed to find a hotel at which even a person with a positive PCR test can stay with the aid of a public healthcare center.

JBC Secretary General Tsuyoshi Yasukochi said, ‘’It is impossible for an individual boxer to handle this kind of situation.’’ JBC and JPBA confirmed they have to ensure a smooth handling of the matter in the future by more closely cooperating with public healthcare centers.

Starting March, JBC will conduct PCR tests on the preceding day of an event. In case a boxer should show a positive PCR test, the bout the boxer is expected to participate in will be cancelled.

Yasukochi said, ‘’If a promoter wants to have PCR tests two days before an event to prevent the matter of false-positive test results, JBC will handle the matter case by case.’’

In the case of a championship bout, PCR tests are supposed to be done more than once at present.