Pakistan embassy issues visas to Indian boxers

Prospects of India competing in the event look bright with the issuance of visas to its boxers by the Pakistani authorities. -Photo courtesy AIBA

LAHORE: Chances of India’s participation in the Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Championship looked bright on Saturday with the Pakistan High Commissioner inNew Delhi issuing visas to the squad.

A spokesman of the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) said on Saturday that India, too, had reconfirmed its participation in the event, which will be held at the KPT Sports Complex,Karachi, from Jan 1 to 9.

He said 18 other countries had also confirmed their participation by name for the mega event.The spokesman said that the PBF President Doda Khan Bhutto also spoke to the president of the Indian Boxing Federation, Abhy Singh Chautala, and thanked him for confirming participation for the event.

It may be mentioned here that earlier this month Indian wrestlers remained unsuccessful in getting Pakistani visas for a dangal (traditional wrestling), which was to be held in Lahore, but had to be cancelled. Earlier, India, too had refused to send its cricket, hockey and tennis teams to visit Pakistan.

Indian squad: Sanjay Singh (51kg), Vikas Malik (60kg), Parnoj Kumar (81kg), Naresh Singh (91kg), Shiv Singh (coach), D.S. Yadav (coach 2), Ashok Panwar (referee judge) and Dr D.B. Chhetri (team doctor).

Agencies add: Around 15 boxers from Cameroon, Kenya and Central African Republic will undergo training in Karachi along with Pakistan boxers in preparations for next year’s South Asian Games and Commonwealth Boxing and Asian Games, the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) announced on Saturday.

“We have discussed and finalised the programme with visiting teams’ officials,” PBF secretary Akram Khan revealed.

He said national boxing associations in those three countries had given their consent to practise in Pakistan after the inaugural Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Championship.

“This will be a month-long training camp supervised by Pakistan’s Cuban coach,” he said.

He said the three countries were featuring in any international event for the first time and they had good boxers.

“The joint training session in the camp will be benefiting for all the four countries,” he said.

“Africans are rough and tough boxers and sparring with them will be helpful for Pakistanboxers,” he added.

Akram said the PBF would be providing free boarding and lodging to the boxers and some pocket allowances during their stay.

The PBF secretary said they were fully ready to stage the Benazir Bhutto tournament in a befitting manner and had installed a ring of international standard at the KPT Sports Complex.

A strong 13-member Yemen squad will be arriving here in the wee hours of Tuesday for the event.

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