May 23, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 24, 1427

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KARACHI, May 22: Pakistan boxing coach Reinaldo Alvarez Ulacia and star pugilists are unhappy with training facilities provided ahead of the two major events — SAF Games and Asian Games later this year.

Ulacia and his trainees — lightweight Asghar Ali Shah and featherweight Mehrullah — are critical of what they say lack of facilities which, they believe, will create hurdles for Pakistan in winning laurels at international or Olympic levels.

“The weather is too hot but there is no proper indoor facility. We have been provided an indoor gymnasium, but we train in sizzling heat under a tin roof. This situation is unbearable and not encouraging,” Ulacia told Dawn on Monday.

A group of 32 probables is training at National Sports Training and Coaching Centre (NSTCC) under a team of six coaches — three Cubans and equal number of Pakistanis for SAF Games in August in Colombo and December’s Asian Games in Doha.

The Cuban says the hostel rooms for the boxers are hot and stuffy, while special diet is vital for boxers, but food being provided is oily, sub-standard with excessive quantity of fats which does not meet the requirement.

“The food boxers are being served is not according to the diet plan I have prepared. What purpose it serves when it is being prepared with too much oil and fats which I don’t want. We are finding hard to meet diet requirements,” the Cuban said.

Ulacia was also critical of what he said insufficient medical and other facilities.

He complained neither there was a team doctor on permanent basis at the training camp nor were there physiotherapist, psychologist and a masseur.

Asghar, a 1998 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, agreed with his instructor, ruing that only few days ago Ulacia’s deputy Felipe Tomas Fonseca had to rub ice on a trainee’s hand because of unavailability of a physiotherapist and a masseur.

“Doctor comes in the morning and then leaves before afternoon. This tin roof of the gymnasium makes it too hot in this sultry weather. Once we went to Cuba to train at Reinaldo’s club. It was just an ordinary club but had a doctor, physiotherapist, masseur and everything one needs for physical fitness.

“We don’t have a fulltime doctor at national training camp leave alone a physiotherapist, psychologist and a masseur. These are standard requirements world over but luxuries in Pakistan.

“We have windows in our rooms but can’t take risk opening them as mosquitoes would not allow us to sleep as netting is broken at several places.

“This situation makes it difficult to sleep. It would have been much better if we had air-conditioners to overcome this simmering hot weather,” he lamented.

A visit to NSTCC corroborated Ulacia’s and Asghar’s claims. While coaches’ rooms had air-conditioners, boxers and camp commandant Mohammad Aslam were lodged in hot and stuffy rooms.

“Boxers need special diet when they are required to reduce weight. But here there is always same of kind of food. Then we need supplements and multivitamins to recover from strict training regimen.

“But we are not being provided these despite our request which is the reason why I can’t talk to you properly after training,” an exhausted Mehrullah, an Asian Games gold medallist, said.

Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), responsible for providing facilities, says huge amount of money will be needed to meet such requirements and blames Pakistan Boxing Federation chief Anwar Chowdhry for opting against setting up camp in Islamabad where there is a better set up.

“We need millions of rupees for such facilities an amount we don’t have. However, we can provide better facilities in Islamabad but Chowdhry is adamant in running camp in Karachi to gain publicity,” PSB deputy director-general Akhtar Ganjera defended when asked why PSB could not spend on improving infrastructure despite “revenue-generating activities.”

PSB has been involved in raising funds by providing space at NSTCC for marriage functions and marketing campaigns for corporate sector.

However, PSB official said the Board was constructing a new indoor boxing training facility at NSTCC in Karachi and other centres.