Pakistani Boxing team out from Rio- Olympic 2016 qualifying round
By-Asghar Ali Mubarak 
Pakistani Boxing team out from Rio- Olympic 2016 after losing the qualifying round at Thailand due to fake Federation led by the most corrupt personality in the history of Pakistani sport and endorsed by POA and PSB.The last hope was for Pakistan to enter Rio- Olympic 2016 was boxing team after the departure of Pakistan hockey team but due to dirty politics and non professional behavior of so called Pakistan Boxing federation buried in Pakistani sport graveyard. Pakistan Boxing federation sent eight-member boxing squad Qadir Khan,Mohibullah in the 49kg category, Nadir Baloch (46kg), Gulzaib (64kg), Muhammad Tanveer (69kg), Waseem Arshad (75kg), Awais Ali Khan (81kg) and Mehmoodul Hussain (91kg) for qualifying round Thailand five were not performed in any of Pakistani national championship and knocked down in first round of Asian championship, rest in second round. The coach Ali Bukhsh who prepared the camp for three months not went with the team as he was interested in Common wealth youth Games event not to get responsibility for this shameful conquest. He said I have already seen Thailand several times and would prefer to for to youth team for Samoa. Now question is that who is the responsible of this act and who will care boxing in future. Boxing was the most medal game for Pakistan in past as it brought more than 200 international medals for Pakistani nation. Now the time is ready a major operation in this regards, PMLN government should take necessary steps like hockey federation. Boxing dates back to antiquity. There is evidence of boxing in North Africa as far back as 4000BC with signs it was practiced in Egypt around 3000BC. Boxing was introduced to the Olympic Games by the Greeks in 688BC. Amateur boxing is a sport in Pakistan where points are scored through punches to specified targets on the opponent’s body. Competitors wear protective headgear and box for four 2-minute rounds in a “ring”. The bout is decided on points or other decisions under the rules of the International Boxing Federation (AIBA). Each bout will be four rounds of two minutes each, with a one minute interval between rounds. A referee in the ring ensures that the boxers only use legal blows. The referee also separates the fighters when they are holding on to each other. Repeated holding from one fighter could result in a warning and, eventually, disqualification. Points are awarded by five judges, who each push a button when they believe one fighter has landed a clean punch with the white area marked on the front of his glove. If three of the five judges all push the same fighter’s button within one second then he is awarded a point. The referee can take a point away at his discretion for persistent rule-breaking. The fighter with most points at the end of four rounds is declared the winner. It is possible to win early by moving more than 20 points ahead, knocking your opponent out, or if the referee decides that the opponent is too badly injured or outclassed to continue In 1867, amateur championships were held in London under Marquees of Queensberry Rules for lightweights, middleweights and heavyweights. In Britain, the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) was formed in 1880.Eleven gold medals were at stake in the 15th Asian Games in Doha, one in each of 11 weight categories. Two bronze medals were awarded in every class, so beaten boxers did not have to fight again in a medal play-off bout. Boxing has been a competitive event since the 2nd Asian Games in Manila, Philippines, in 1954. Boxing is among the very few sports, in which Pakistan has made slow but steady progress despite general deteriorating standards. One is astonished to mark the progress keeping in view the fact that there is not a single gymnasium or indoor stadium of international standard. The Pakistani boxers also lack necessary equipment and other facilities which have made the other countries leading boxing nations of the world. More surprising is the fact that the Pakistani personally has climbed up the top berths in the organizational set-up of world amateur boxing by dint of sheer hard-work and individualistic efforts. Mr. Anwar Chaudhry, a Professor of engineering in Karachi University was at present the President of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). This is no small achievement by any standards. The first National Boxing championship was held at Karachi in 1948.The Pakistani pugilists have been winning honors in the Asian Games and Asian Boxing Championships ever since they started taking part in these continental contests. Pakistan’s Samad Mir won the only Commonwealth Boxing medal (a Bronze) in 1970 Games at Edinburgh. Due to Organization of regular international contest in Asian region such as the King Cup – Bangkok and President’s Cup – Manila and Jakarta, ,the Pakistani boxers have had access to them and benefited fully from them, thus raising standard to a respectable degree. If the progress shown during the last decade or so is maintained. Pakistan will find its place among the comity of boxing nations of the world much sooner than many experts can visualize even. For Bangkok event Pakistan’s eight-member boxing squad Qadir Khan,Mohibullah in the 49kg category, Nadir Baloch (46kg), Gulzaib (64kg), Muhammad Tanveer (69kg), Waseem Arshad (75kg), Awais Ali Khan (81kg) and Mehmoodul Hussain (91kg) were selected on emergency bases at last moment by PBF. Accordance to the Government instructions, for participation in any international sports competition at abroad, each federation is required to submit a complete case on PSB prescribed proforma along with invitation, computer clearance proforma, surety bond, undertaking and departmental NOC at least six weeks before departure of the team, but the PBF failed full fill this requirement well in time.PBF did not submitted the required documents in spite of PSB letter of July 27 , 2015, PBF vide letter dated August 15 and in Geo TV show talk requested the PSB for release of special grant of Rs.2,151,340/- without any document and Government NOC.The elections of Boxing Federation were held in 2012 and become disputed. The federation did not invite the representative of PSB to watch the elections proceedings so the elections process was not certified. After the elections the Boxing Federation did not submit the minutes of the election meeting along with required documents. In absence of the required documents PSB remain unaware about the office bearers of the Pakistan Boxing Federation and legitimacy of the election process. Before leaving Pakistan for Thailand the chances to qualify for the Rio Olympics boxing event appear slim as participation of the boxing team in the Asian championship is doubtful due to paucity of funds. After ouster of Pakistan hockey, boxing was the only hope for participation at Olympics but the participation in the Asian championship, which is the first qualifying round in at Bangkok, is not certain as we do not have the funds to send boxing team. Pakistani boxers performed well in the international events including the Asian championships in the past but this time failed to perform well. It is very unfortunate that the boxing team does not performed well and lost fair chance of qualification Rio- Olympic 2016. The Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) is the governing body of Amateur Boxing in Pakistan. It is instrumental in organizing boxing events in Pakistan. The Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PBF) organizes amateur matches. Current president Doda Khan Bhutto is trying to done a lot for boxing in Pakistan, he organized 2 major international events in Pakistan in 2010 and 2011 where 30 countries participated. In past Pakistani boxers have won medals at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. Examples include Quetta born three time Olympian boxer Abrar Hussain who was born on February 9, 1961 in Quetta, had represented Pakistan in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games. In addition, he had won several accolades for the country, including the 1985 South Asian Games gold medal in Dhaka, as well as the 1990 Asian Games gold in Beijing. The boxer was also the recipient of the Sitara-e-Imtiaz and was awarded the President’s Gold Medal in 1991. Overall, Hussain had won 11 gold, six silver and five bronze medals at national and international events during his illustrious career. He was a legendary figure in Pakistan and Asian boxing and we had also nominated him as our representative in many international events. He was great friend of mine and good promoter of boxing in Pakistan, Pakistan’s well known Olympic boxer Abrar Hussain.
Abrar, 51, was shot dead on June 16,2011by target killers as he came out of his office in the Ayub Stadium, where he worked as the Chairman of the Baluchistan Sport Board. Beside three time Olympian boxer Abrar Hussain another boxer Hussain Shah created history in 1988 when he reached the semifinals of Welterweight class and ensured a bronze medal for his country in Seoul Olympic. Hussain Shah belonged to Lyari, Karachi and rose to National fame and fortune after this feat. He continued to shine in boxing particularly in Asia. He won five gold medals in South Asian games and also remained best boxer in Asia from 1980 to 1989.
Haider Ali is a Pakistani boxer. He is a Commonwealth Games gold medalist. He started Boxing at an early age, having decided to become a boxer after watching coverage of the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and became the National Champion in 1998 become a professional boxer later and Asghar Ali Shah who is a two time Olympian with 13 gold and 10 silver medals at the international level. Nauman Karim was a boxer from Pakistan who won the bronze medal in the light flyweight division at the 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Bangkok. Asif Kamran Dar was also a former boxer from Pakistan, competing in the lightweight division. He was born in Quetta and represent Pakistan in many international events. Mehrullah Lassi was a former Pakistani amateur boxer best known to win a gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games later two boxers including Mehrullah Lassi , Faisal Karim were banned for life for failing drug test in 2006. Lassi and Karim, who won gold medals at SAF Games in Colombo, tested positive for cannabis, a banned drug. The SAF Games committee banned them for six months and withdrew their medals. But the PBF closed the door of all international competitions on the boxers. Lassi won a gold medal in the 2002 Asian Games at Busan, South Korea, and a silver medal in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006. In January, a body of professional boxing in Pakistan has been formed. It is named as Pakistan Professional Boxing League. PPBL is a separate body than PBF. Mean while renowned boxer Amir Khan an English professional boxer two time world champion, having WBA, WBA and IBF Light Welterweight titles, currently holds the WBC Silver Welterweight title while talking to this correspondent hoped Pakistan is rich in boxing talent which can be groomed under a long-term plan. “I can see a lot of talented boxers in Pakistan; they have the necessary potential to gain international prominence if modern facilities are provided to them to polish their skills,” Great Britain’s Amir said while talking to this correspondent .Amir khan man with the golden arms, who is a professional boxer and World Boxing Council silver welterweight champion, said he would meet Pakistani pugilists to share his experience and to impart them finer points of the sport.
