Inam’s entry withdrawn from Asian Championship

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier wrestler Mohammad Inam’s entry has been withdrawn from the Asian Championship due to a serious knee injury.

“Yes, Inam will not play due to an injury,” Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) secretary Arshad Sattar confirmed to ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

Inam received the knee injury during his quarter-final fight in the Asian Qualifying round for Olympics in Almaty the other day against an Uzbekistan wrestler.

Despite the injury, he played the bronze medal fight where he beat a Kyrgyzstan wrestler to finish at the victory podium. It was the first medal from a Pakistani wrestler in the Asian qualifying round in history.

The Asian Championship is in progress in Almaty. Mohammad Bilal (57kg) and Haroon Abid (97kg) will represent Pakistan in the continental event on Saturday.

After the Asian Championship, these two players will also fight for Olympics seats in the World qualifying round in Bulgaria.

Arshad said that Bilal can confirm the Olympics seat in Bulgaria. “Bilal is the fittest wrestler and I hope he will win an Olympic seat in the world qualifiers,” Arshad said.