January 31, 2008	Thursday	Muharram 21, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 30: Pakistan failed to secure a single medal in the Olympic qualifying round and their rout was completed when two more boxers Ahmad Ali and Yasir Jawaid crashed out of the event in Bangkok on Wednesday.

According to the information available here, light-heavyweight Ahmad lost to Kyrgyzstan’s Borbashev Chyngyz 35-24 while heavyweight Yasir was beaten by Jordan’s Drwash Ehap on RSC/II verdict. Both boxers were lucky enough to receive byes for quarter-finals but they lost the opportunity to move ahead.

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s light-flyweight Abdul Waheed lost to Uzbekistan’s Rafirjon Sullonov of 11-8 in the quarter-finals.

The defeats of Ahmad and Yasir means Pakistan will return without getting a single Olympic berth, although PBF had fielded no less then 10 boxers for the first qualifier.

Other Pakistan boxers who were sent packing at the Bangkok event are, bantmanweight Mohammad Ali, middleweight Muqaddar Abbas, flyweight Nauman Karim, featherweight Abid Ali, lightweight Mohammad Sajid, light-welterweight Asghar Ali Shah, welterweight Dur Mohmamad.

It is the first time since the inception of Olympic qualifiers that Pakistan have failed to book a single berth at any qualifying round for the biggest sporting extravaganza. The recent slump is the continuity of the pathetic performance last year when Pakistani boxers failed to win a single medal at even invitational events. Earlier when Chowdhry was AIBA chief, Pakistan used to snatch several qualifying berths at Olympic qualifiers.—Sports Reporter