LAHORE: The Pakis­tan Boxing Federation (PBF) has rejected and expressed disappointment over life bans imposed on its president Khalid Mehmood and secretary retired Lt Col Nasir Ijaz Tung by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

Khalid and Nasir were sanctioned after a report issued by the PSB’s Board of Governors (BoG) recently alleged that the PBF facilitated a boxer in absconding in Italy during the Olympic qualifying tournament.

The PSB had also asked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to investigate the issue for elements of human trafficking.

“The house expressed disappointment and rejected the unilateral and baseless report related to a boxer who travelled to Italy for Olympic

Qualifiers on Official Passport having valid visa and NOC of his parent department,” a PBF press release said on Monday.

“The house noted with grave concern that the report violates basic legal principles and fundamental rights.”

Three Pakistani boxers have slipped in other countries in the last three years. In the most prominent of these incidents, Asian bronze medalist Zohaib Rasheed went missing in Italy where he went to compete in the qualifiers for this year’s Games in Paris.

Earlier, boxers Suleman Baloch and Nazeerullah Khan absconded in other European countries. The cases saw the PSB launch an inquiry into them and form a committee, without inviting the PBF to contest them.

Accepting the recommendations by the committee, the PSB BoG imposed bans on Khalid and Nasir.

It may be mentioned here that since 2011-12, the relations of the PSB with the national sports federations and the Pakistan Olympic

Association (POA) are not at their best and that is considered as one of the causes behind the downfall of sports in the country.

Meanwhile, the house also ratified the amendments of the Constitution of the PBF that were principally agreed to during the last General Council of the body.

The house also appro­ved the audit report for the fiscal year of 2023-2024. The house also confirmed the election of Begum Ishrat Ashraf as thechairperson of the PBF.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2024