National boxers suffer as Doda-Iqbal differences grow

KARACHI: The widening differences between Pakistan Boxing Federation’s (PBF) President Doda Khan Bhutto and Secretary Iqbal Hussain are affecting national boxers, sources claimed on Monday.
Sources close to both the officials say that Doda and Iqbal have stalled all contact with each other.
“They are not in contact,” a source disclosed.
It has been learnt that Doda now-a-days has been very close to treasurer of the PBF Asghar Baloch, who also happens to be the secretary of Sindh Boxing Association (SBA).
Sources claim that the hostility between Doda and Iqbal has reached to such an extent that Doda has been contemplating to remove Iqbal through a no-confidence move.
“Doda wants to bring in his close friend Asghar Baloch as PBF secretary,” a source revealed.
However, the source added that Doda had already been warned of the repercussion for Pakistan’s boxing if he tried to present a no-confidence move against Iqbal.
“Iqbal’s removal as secretary would be a real disaster for boxing as he is the only one who has been supporting the sport by even spending from his own pocket,” a source said.
Sources said that the gulp between the top PBF officials started widening since Doda was reportedly arrested last year by Dubai police when he was going with Iqbal to South Korea for attending the general council meeting of the world boxing governing body (AIBA). Doda was set to contest election for AIBA’s vice-president post.
Sources said that Asghar Baloch recently held a boxing event in Lyari where Doda Bhutto visited without his secretary Iqbal Hussain.
Sources also added that Doda visited the national boxing camp twice, being held here at the PSB Coaching centre during the last four months.
“But even during his visits to the camp he was seen with Asghar Baloch accompanying him,” sources said.
Some time back, Doda interviewed a newspaper, stating that the PBF was going to hold an international event. But Iqbal did not know about that move when ‘The News’ contacted him.
Iqbal at the same time also denied that he had any differences with Doda. A source in Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had told this correspondent some time back that it seemed that there were differences between Doda and Iqbal because Doda had written a letter to the Board, informing it that his contact details had been changed.
However, a top PSB official was not happy with Doda’s letter and had told this correspondent that the Board was bound to correspond with the secretary.
Since coming into power around two and a half years ago, Doda-led PBF has not established even its own office.
The old office of the PBF housed at Panorama Centre in Saddar is still in possession of the rival group led by Mohammad Akram Khan.
Akram group was once touted as strong because of the government support. However, its influence reduced when the federal government re-established ties with Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) led by Lt Gen (retd) Syed Arif Hasan after its constructive dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sources say Doda has printed a new letter-pad which carries the address of his residence in Defence.
“Iqbal has his own address,” a source said.
Sources say that the tug-of-war between the officials would further damage the sport.
Seven months have passed since Pakistani boxers last played in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and since then, the pugilists have not been provided with a single international tour.
“Unless we get international tours we will not improve,” an international boxer told ‘The News’ here on the sideline of the camp at the PSB Coaching Centre on Monday.
As many as 40 boxers have been training for the last four months, with apparently, no goal in sight.
Pakistan will be featuring in the World Championships in Doha in October but so far the PBF have not finalised the boxers.
“We don’t know whether we will play in the World Championships or not,” said a highly talented young boxer, who is expected to be part of the Doha event.
The boxers in the camp don’t have at their disposal enough punching bags and gloves which also affect their training, this correspondent noticed during a visit to the camp.