ISLAMABAD: Boxer Mohammad Waseem has said he should be given a chance to get trained in Cuba for Olympic qualifiers.

“If provided a chance of training in Cuba, I’m optimistic I will not only qualify for Rio Olympics 2016 but I’ll clinch a medal as well,” he told Dawn here on Tuesday, after receiving a cheque from Federal Minister Riaz Hussain Prizada for clinching the silver medal at the Commonwealth Games.

The federal minister for the Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC), which oversees sports, honoured the medal winners here on Thursday.

The winners were judoka Shah Hussain Shah (silver), boxer Mohammad Waseem (silver) and wrestlers Qamar Abbas (silver) and Azhar Hussain (bronze).

The silver medallists were given Rs2 million while bronze medallist Azhar Hussain was given Rs1 million.

Both wrestlers, who were abroad, could not attend the ceremony. Their federation received their awards. However, Shah Hussain Shah and Mohammad Waseem were present on the occasion and received their awards.

The coaches of medals winners were also given Rs200,000 each.

“My performance at the Commonwealth Games is a proof that if I be given proper chances I can bring laurel for the country,” Waseem told Dawn.

He said that he has been undergoing various training sessions.

“Foreign training always helps boxers a lot for mega events,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the players could not train properly due to the tussle between two warring groups of the POA yet they managed to win medals.

He appreciated efforts and hard work of the medal winners.

Pakistan Sport Board director general Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera stated that PSB was in a process of expending the cash award scheme and more international events were being included in the scheme.

“With this arrangement, sportspersons shall avail more opportunities to excel and get benefit from the scheme,” he said.

Published in Dawn February 13th , 2015

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