September 11, 2002	Wednesday	Rajab 3, 1423

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KARACHI, Sep 10: Pakistan’s best prospect of earning gold in the forthcoming Asian Games 2002, Haider Ali, has decided to skip event due to domestic reasons.

Joint Secretary and spokesman for Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation (PABF) Ali Akbar Tuesday confirmed that Haider has faxed his message to PABF about his absence from the event due to his personal domestic problems.

Haider was the only sportsperson to earn a gold for Pakistan at the Commonwealth Games held in July 2002 in Manchester, England. and was tipped to win the featherweight at Asiad.

The Quetta-born boxer also won the gold in Asian Boxing Championship held in Malaysia in June this year.

Ali said PABF was shocked by the decision of Haider and claimed that the boxer neither informed PABF in advance nor took it into confidence about this important decision.

He said PABF was preparing Haider for Asian Games 2002 for last one year and spent huge amount on him. But, his decision has violated all the disciplines, rules and regulation and ethics of sports.

Ali said “first he disappeared from training camp at National Sports Training and Coaching Center (NSTCC) held in Karachi last month sans any prior information.

He revealed that PABF has put up the matter before Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) as it is the matter of Pakistan ‘s prestige.—PPI