Maneuvering for boxing body elections begins

KARACHI: During the last two years Pakistan’s boxing suffered because of the inability of the officials of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) to run the affairs of the game properly.

Both president Doda Khan Bhutto and secretary Iqbal Hussain are at loggerheads with each other and the federation also has strained relations with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) which is the sole financier of the federations.

Pakistan missed the Asian qualifying round for Rio Olympics in China because of financial problems and the national pugilists were shown exit doors prematurely in the world qualifying round for Olympics in Baku recently.

Early this year the national pugilists returned without a gold medal from the South Asian Games in India. This was the first time that Pakistan did not get any gold in the regional event.

The PBF is yet to amend its constitution in the light of the national sports policy. A source said that its existing constitution was yet to be approved by the world boxing governing body (AIBA).

The body is going to hold its elections by December. As per rules the elections can be held even before December. According to sources a few new faces are interested in taking over boxing affairs of Pakistan.

British boxer Amir Khan’s father Shajjad Khan, Sialkot’s Velo Sports Company’s head Salman Islam and a few others are interested in the presidential slot of the PBF.

The sources said that during the World Championships in Doha last year in which Pakistan fielded heavyweight boxer Mehmood-ul-Hasan, a meeting of Shajjad Khan, Amir Khan and former chief of Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) and a few others had been held in which Pakistan’s boxing was discussed.

Shajjad showed interest in Pakistan’s boxing. The continental body’s former top official, who is now working in the World Series of Boxing (WSB), told Amir’s father if he was interested in Pakistan’s boxing it was not difficult for him to get such an opportunity. Sources said that he also advised Shajjad about who he should meet in Pakistan.

A meeting regarding the issue was held in Karachi during Shajjad’s

recent visit to the city when Amir held a pro boxing event, involving boxers from England and Ireland, to generate funds for the people of Thar.

The sources said that former PBF secretary Akram Khan was also present at the meeting.

They added it had been decided in the meeting that Shajjad and his group’s first task would be to convince Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

The sources said that without the support of POA chief Arif Hasan it would be difficult for any group to form the PBF.

The sources said that Shajjad had no problem with the PSB and it was the POA which his group would have to convince.

The sources said that the POA secretary Khalid Mehmood’s chance of becoming the PBF president could not be ruled out. Khalid is the president of Punjab Boxing Association (PBA).

Iqbal and Khalid may try to form the new body. There are also parallel bodies working in the four provinces and some have filed cases. It would not be easy to go for elections without resolving this issue.

Some sources said that AIBA may send its representatives to conduct a scrutiny to clear the mess and pave the way for elections.

Doda will complete his two tenures this December and will not be eligible to contest elections as per sports policy.

But he may stay as the PBF chairman if a new seat is created by amending the constitution. The sources also said that Arif would not back Doda because there had been a serious misunderstanding between the two on the eve of the POA elections early this year.

There are 23 votes with the provinces having three votes each and Railways, Army, Navy, PAF and Higher Education Commission (HEC) having two each. Islamabad has one vote. The sources said that KPT, K-Electric and WAPDA have only playing rights.