PSB imposes ban on PBF high-ups after Pakistani boxers ‘slipped away’

Three Pakistani boxers slip away during foreign tours in two years; Nasir Tung to challenge “illegal decision”

September 23, 2024
Pakistani boxers Suleman Baloch (C) and Nazeerullah Khan (L). -Instagram/@boxersulemanbaloch 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has imposed lifetime ban on Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) president Khalid Mehmood and secretary Col (retd) Nasir Ijaz Tung after three Pakistani boxers slipped away.

Three Pakistani boxers had slipped away in span of two years, with two of them —Suleman Baloch and Nazeerullah Khan — went missing in Birmingham in 2022, just a few days after the conclusion of the Commonwealth Games.

In March this year, Asian bronze medallist Zohaib Rasheed went missing in Italy during the World Qualifying round for the Paris Olympics boxing.

The disappearance prompted the sports board to launch an inquiry into the role of PBF officials in the negligence and mismanagement of boxers.

Later, a committee constituted by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) recommended lifetime bans on the federation top officials and instructed the PSB to refer the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Accepting the recommendation, the PSB Board of Governors (BoG) imposed ban on Mehmood and Ijaz, preventing them from holding any future positions in national sports federations.

Besides being PBF President, Khalid Mahmood is also the Secretary of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

Speaking to Geo News, Nasir Tung rejected the BoG’s “illegal decision” and said they will challenge the lifetime ban in court.

Atique ur Rehman is a senior reporter for Geo News.

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