Dejected boxers sent home

National boxers on Thursday were sent home after the authorities failed to manage funds for sending them to China for the Asian qualifying round for Olympics due to financial problems.

‘The News’ learnt that the boxers were given some money by the PBF secretary Iqbal Hussain for travelling expenses.

The boxers were very dejected, having been deprived of a golden opportunity of testing their luck in the qualifiers which are being held in the Chinese city of Qiana’n.

The boxers had trained for the event for more than a year.

The PBF had announced the names of nine leading boxers and three coaches for the important tour.

The PBF said that it would avail itself of the opportunity to send boxers to the world qualifying round to be held in Azerbaijan capital Baku in June.

“We will send boxers to Baku,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, the PBF executive committee decided to incorporate the tenure-restriction clause of the national sports policy in its constitution so that its differences with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) could end.

PBF president Doda Bhutto chaired the meeting held at his residence in Clifton.

Also present were PBF vice-president Shah Naeem Zafar, secretary Iqbal, treasurer Asghar Baloch, Chaudhry Mohammad Tariq and head coach Ali Bakhsh.

Iqbal said that the vice-president Zabe Khan’s opinion was taken on phone. Zabe has resigned from K-Electric and settled in England.

“When K-Electric sends us Zabe’s replacement we will consider that. But for now Zabe is the vice-president of the PBF and we are bound to take his opinion,” Iqbal said.

In the meeting the government was requested to investigate into the matter and punish those who created hurdles in the way of Pakistan’s tour of China for the qualifiers.

The committee criticised the protest demonstration held by boxers and said it was not the PBF and the coaches who were responsible.

The boxers the other day were seen begging on the road outside the PSB Coaching Centre in a bid to attract the top sports officials of the country to sponsor their tour of China.

(Source: The News)