Bilal develops back injury, Abdullah to represent Pakistan in Istanbul

LAHORE: Pakistan’s top wrestler Mohammad Bilal has developed a back injury and will miss the final World Qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics which will be held in Istanbul from May 9-12.

“Yes, Bilal developed a back injury a few days ago during training and he is not going to Istanbul,” a senior official of Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Only rookie Abdullah (65kg) will represent Pakistan in the world qualifying round in Turkey’s capital. Abdullah made his debut in last month’s Asian Championship in Bishkek and he then also took part in the Asian Qualifiers for Paris Olympics in the same city after a few days but failed to deliver.

The entire six-member Pakistani lot extended a poor performance in the Asian Championship and then all four flopped in the Asian Qualifiers for the Paris Olympics in Bishkek. “We had sent only two entries and that is why only Abdullah will be going on May 10 along with his coach Ghulam Fareed after injury to Bilal,” the PWF official said.

This is the third time that Pakistan will be pressing for an Olympics wrestling seat. In September 2023 Pakistani wrestlers flopped in the World Championship in Serbia. It was the first Olympics qualifying event.

The PWF official admitted that it is not possible that any wrestler will qualify for the Paris Olympics if they undergo training in Pakistan. “Wrestling needs a big boost as we have great potential in this discipline. We have been telling the state officials since long that they should back the discipline for long term if we are to develop in the sport,” the official said.

“Look, how we will do anything big with just a one-month training as you know there is a huge difference between mud wrestling and mat wrestling,” the official said. He appreciated former DG PSB Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera who held a long camp of wrestling for around four years. “And it was because of that marathon camp that we produced top wrestlers like Inam Butt and Bilal,” the official said. “If we feel that by training in their homes, they will give us any medal in wrestling so I think it’s not possible,” the official said.