GUANGZHOU (China), Nov 10: Pakistan has decided to change its flag bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony after a wrestling coach refused permission on Wednesday for Commonwealth gold medallist Azhar Ali to skip training and travel early to Guangzhou.

Last month Pakistan narrowly averted a boycott by its weightlifting team at the Commonwealth Games after an official took a last-minute decision to carry the flag into the opening ceremony in New Delhi instead of the lifter who had been nominated.

“We had no such misunderstanding this time around and it was made clear to everyone that Azhar will be the flag bearer,” Pakistan Olympic Association director general Mohammad Afzal told The Associated Press.

Afzal said hockey captain Zeeshan Ashraf will now carry the national flag at Friday's opening event. “The coach does not want to disturb the training of the wrestler and he didn't allow Azhar to fly to Guangzhou for the opening ceremony,” Afzal said.

Azhar was due to arrive in Guangzhou five days after the opening ceremony to compete in the wrestling event which begins Nov 20. “Azhar will be arriving on Nov 17 and we had no other option but to nominate someone else,” Afzal said.

Provincial sports minister Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, who marched with the Pakistan flag at the Commonwealth Games, claimed he was not officially told prior to the New Delhi ceremony that Melbourne gold medallist Shujauddin Malik had been nominated as flag bearer.

Malik reportedly said he was mentally disturbed with Dr Shah's attitude and that was the reason behind his poor performance. Malik got injured at New Delhi and has not recovered yet.—AP