Amir Khan not to pursue Pakistan representation at Rio Oympics

Published June 16, 2016
Khan, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games, acknowledged that he will not be ready to participate in the final Olympic qualifying event in Venezuela next month. — Reuters/File
Khan, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games, acknowledged that he will not be ready to participate in the final Olympic qualifying event in Venezuela next month. — Reuters/File

Amir Khan has decided against pursuing the chance to represent Pakistan at the Olympic Games set to be played in Rio de Janiero later this summer, The Guardian reported Wednesday.

The International Boxing Association (amateur) or AIBA allowed professional boxers to represent their county in Olympics, thus making it a possibility that boxer Amir Khan can represent Pakistan at the mega sporting event.

When the star boxer was in Karachi in early June ahead of a professional boxing event, he was asked about the latest AIBA decision and his chances of representing Pakistan at the Olympics, Amir Khan said, "I will look into it. If possible, this could be amazing.”

“Imagine if I take part in Olympics to represent my home country Pakistan, it will be something very special for me," he added.

However, Khan, who won the silver medal at the 2004 Athens Games, acknowledged that he will not be ready to participate in the final Olympic qualifying event in Venezuela next month.

Khan is still on the road to recovery from his brutal six round knockout against Mexican Saul Alvarez in their WBC middleweight title fight in May.

Khan, who risked a two-year ban by the World Boxing Council had he made a return to the Olympics, is one of the few fully professional fighters to speak out in favour of AIBA’s latest ruling.

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