Muay Lao loses sponsor

The ST-Group Company will end its support for Muay Lao this month, as the company wants to sponsor boxing in anticipation of the SEA Games in Thailand this December.

It now intends to support the Lao Amateur Boxing Federation.

Muay Lao fighters were successful in winning gold, silver and bronze medals at the 23 rd SEA Games in the Philippines in 2005 and in international competitions last year.

Now that the standard of Muay Lao is high, the company would like to direct its support to the boxing federation in order to raise the standard of this sport.

“If the federation is able to organise regular competitions each month, Lao boxers will have a chance to win medals at the SEA Games as well as Muay Lao fighters,” the Marketing Director of ST-Group Company, Mr Phoutthasak Inthamith, said on Tuesday.

“The boxing federation has accepted the sponsorship of our company,” he said.

Currently, the federation is unable to organise monthly competitions due to a lack of funding. Furthermore, the younger generation is more interested in training in Muay Lao.

But the federation was able to organise a national boxing contest at the Sokxay ring last month to select the best boxers for the SEA Games in Thailand this December. Many companies sponsored the event and the federation will organise another national competition next month.

The ST-Group has been sponsoring the sport of Muay Lao at the Sokxay ring for the past five years.

The Muay Lao Federation is now looking for a new sponsor to support the monthly competitions and will continue to schedule bouts at the Sokxay ring after the company has withdrawn its support.

The Muay Lao Federation will use its own funding and will also try to find a new sponsor to increase the number of bouts to twice monthly.

“I think fans enjoy the Muay Lao competitions because they like the graceful and exciting Muay Lao fighting style,” said the Vice President of the Muay Lao Federation, Mr Kingkeo Sengsouvanh.

Fans have been watching Muay Lao fights twice a month, and are disappointed that the federation has cut them to once a month.

“According to the agreement between the ST-Group and the federation, we are no longer able to associate Muay Lao with the energy drink M-150 in newspaper advertisements,” Mr Kingkeo said.

The Muay Lao Federation advertises its monthly fights at the Sokxay ring to bring in more money for the federation.

“I think it will be difficult for the Lao Amateur Boxing Federation to organise matches because they don't have a ring to stage fights,” he said.
 

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong