LET’S pray for world peace and reconciliation.

The Games and Amusements Board (GAB), headed by Chairman Abraham “Baham” Mitra and commissioners Eduard Trinidad and Raul Lagrisola, made the appeal to all professional stakeholders as it led a nationwide online inter-faith prayer for peace, healing and reconciliation last Thursday.

The prayer for peace, which was participated in by several professional athletes like volleyball superstar Alyssa Valdez and esports champion Andreij Alba and officials of different GAB-sanctioned leagues, comes at the height of the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine.

Employees of the said government supervisory and regulatory agency in professional sports also paricipated in the prayers.

“It is good to know that our country’s sports heroes are the ones championing this call for peace. It is good to take at least a few minutes to pray for world peace,”said Mitra in a statement to People’s Tonight.

“Nakalulungkot na madami ang naaapektuhan ng kaguluhang nagaganap ngayon sa Russia at Ukraine, lalo na ang kani-kanilang mga atleta,” added Mitra.

The GAB initiated the collective prayers to unite the professional sports community in praying for world peace.

Earlier, GAB also joined the call for prayer for peace and reconciliation launched by the four biggest boxing organizations in the world — World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF).

“The four boxing governing organizations in the world join together to express their position with regards to the tragic war, which is taking place as Russia has invaded Ukraine,” said the statement.

“Just as the world claims for a cease of fire, our oegsnizatiobs have decided to not sanction any boxing championships in Russia. Just as this was has put a stop in boxing in Ukraine, our organizations will not sanction fights in Russia until further assessment of the situation.”

The official statement was signed by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman, WBA president Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, WBO president Francisco Valcarcel and IBF president Daryl Peoples.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ed Andaya