ISLAMABAD: Top-ranked national boxer Mohammad Waseem on Friday expressed great disappointment over lack of proper training and international exposure ahead of the upcoming 17th Asian Games in Incheon.

“Soon after the Commonwealth Games, we requested the boxing federation and the government to arrange an international tour so that the boxers could get international exposure ahead of the Asian Games, but to no avail,” a dejected Waseem told Dawn.

The 26-year-old pugilist, who clinched a silver medal in the recently held Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after a close contest with Australian Andrew Moloney to add to his bronze in the 2010 CG Games, said due to the ugly tussle between the two warring factions of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) the boxers could not participate in any international event for the last two years except the Games.

The young boxer, who is known for his quick and powerful style of boxing, lamented that while the lack of international exposure badly dented Pakistan’s chances of doing well in Glasgow recently, there was not much for the future as things had come to standstill in national sports.

“We had requested our federation and the government to arrange a tour of Russia or Tajikistan so that we could produce better result in the Asian Games. I myself met Sports Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada in this regard but absolutely nothing has happened so far on the front,” he said.

The silver medallist, who is also captain of national boxing team, further said that during the Games in Glasgow, two-time world light welterweight champion Amir Khan also offered to train Pakistani boxers at his gym in England but Pakistan sports officials did not pay any heed to it.

“Amir’s training would have done world of good to all of us but we missed that opportunity,” he regretted. Waseem, who spoke to Dawn over telephone from Karachi where he is attending a training camp organised by the Pakistan Boxing Federation, added the six-member boxing team was working hard at the training camp set up for the Asian Games.

“Despite all odds, I’m optimistic about clinching a gold in the Asian Games,” he said. “All the boxers, athletes and coaches are working tremendously hard for the mega event ahead.. let see what outcome will be.”

The Asian Games are slated to start on Sept 19 at Incheon, South Korea, in which Pakistan athletes will participate in 25 disciplines.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2014