Government’s Indifference To Boxing Event Disappoints Organisers |
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21-Dec-2011
Alam Zeb Safi
The News
KARACHI: Pakistan’s boxing authorities conceded on Tuesday that they were disappointed by the lack of interest shown by the top officials and ministers for the second edition of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing tournament which is going to be opened on Thursday at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad.
“We were expecting that if held in the capital, the event would get a lot of boost but so far no minister or any top government official has taken pains to ask about our problems or visit the venue which is very disappointing,” Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) secretary Mohammad Akram Khan told The News in an interview on Tuesday. “Only after the Prime Minister issued a statement that foolproof security arrangements should be made for the affair, have the security agencies started cooperating with us,” Akram said.
“After a hard labour, the 12-member Indian squad was issued visas on Tuesday and they will reach Wagah border on Thursday from where they will fly to Islamabad on the same day,” the official said.
Akram said that around 150 boxers from 22 to 26 countries would show their worth in the spectacle.
“So far pugilists from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Taiwan, Singapore, Iran and Syria have arrived in Islamabad. Kyrgyzstan are scheduled to reach the federal capital in a few hours,” he said.
“Similarly, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Central Africa and Uganda have also confirmed their arrival and will reach before the opening ceremony,” the PBF secretary said. He said that PBF has fully sponsored countries like Kenya, Central Africa, Uganda, Ghana and Bulgaria by also paying for their air-tickets, while the rest of the participating nations will bear their own travel expenses.
He said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani would inaugurate the tournament on Thursday (tomorrow) at 3:30pm for which the arrangements have been completed.
He said medical and draws would also be held in the morning on Thursday. He added that fights would begin on Friday. The competitions, which will be held in ten weight categories, will be conducted from 11:30am to 2:30pm and from 3:30pm to 7:30pm each day. The closing ceremony will be held on December 29.
He said that around 30,000 dollars has been set aside to be given in cash prizes. The top team will get $5000, the runners-up $3000, the best boxer $2000 and the best referee/judge $1000. Gold medalists in each weight category will get richer by $800 each. Silver and bronze medalists will be rewarded with $500 and $250, respectively.
Akram added that referees/judges would be given away $50 as daily allowance, while the technical delegates would be paid $150 per day.
He said that five referees/judges from Pakistan, Ghulam Hussain Patni, Arshad Javed Qureshi, Younis Pathan, Syed Ashraf Ali and Syed Mohammad Sharif, would serve along with referees/judges from Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea and Russia.
England boxing great Aamir Khan and the president of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) Gofur-Arslonbek Rakhimov will also arrive in the capital to witness the competitions, Akram said.
Four teams of Pakistan, carrying 36 boxers, also including England-based Haroon Khan, will feature in the event, the official said.
He said that new equipment worth Rs3.1 million would be given to all the participating pugilists.
Akram said that Rs60million would be spent on the event. Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has released the PBF only Rs1.5 million so far. |
