Damaged boxing ring in Peshawar needs repair

PESHAWAR: The dilapidated condition of the boxing ring at the Peshawar Sports Complex could result in a tragedy.

The boxing ring was installed in 2001. Since then it is being used not only for boxing competitions but also for weightlifting and other games, which has damaged it, an official told ‘The News’.

Pleading anonymity, the official said that various parts of the boxing ring had gone missing and the platform was damaged. “We have placed a wooden post to support the platform as it could not be repaired since long,” he added.

The official said one of the ropes of the ring was tied as the hook was missing and it came undone during a match a month ago luckily the boxer escaped unhurt.

“The ring is removed for holding other events in the hall due to which various parts of the ring had gone missing. We have used other material to fix the ring to enable the members and players to continue practice but it is risky and could result in severe injury to the players anytime,” he added.

The official said they had time and again requested the Directorate of Sports and other concerned officials to arrange the missing parts and repair the damaged ones but to no avail.

He said the main entrance to the hall was also damaged and the authorities were less bothered to repair the door. The rooftop of the boxing hall was also damaged and water seeping down on the ring whenever there was raining, he added.

The sources said the banners and other pan flexes they got printed for various events were also got disappeared. “One of the side covers we have installed around the boxing hall to prevent sunlight and rain water dropping inside the area was uprooted during a windstorm some time ago and was missing since then,” the official said while pointing to that portion of the hall which was left open.

He said that he can arrange for repair and maintenance of the hall. He said the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) had provided the boxing ring. “The directorate claimed the ring as its property. Why should we pay from our own pockets for repairing and maintenance of the ring as we have no say in it and the directorate treated us like strangers,” he lamented.

The official said that Muhammad Hussain Inoki (Antonio Inoki), the Japanese professional wrestler, had donated a boxing ring worth Rs8 million in 2012 to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was rusting under the stairs in the stadium since then.

Director General Sports Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Junaid Khan said that he had not received any written or verbal request for repairing the boxing hall.

He said the repair work would be done if any.The DG said that it was multi-purpose hall and used for other related sports competitions as well. He said that the ring provided by Inoki was affordable and would be used on need basis.

He assured to investigate the matter and other allegations leveled against the directorate and get repair the ring at the earliest.

Junaid said he committed for promotion of sports and to provide funds for improvement of sports infrastructure in the province.