“I told the federation I won't practice in this wet place. But that is not the way out. Our pugilists need continuous training and any gap would not serve our purpose for the mega international events that are coming up.” -Photo by White Star
KARACHI Pakistan's boxing coach, Cubas Francisco Hernandez Roldan, was left frustrated with the affairs of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) as water from the monsoon rains poured into the training area provided to him at the PSB Karachi Centre and eventually suspended practice.

 

“It is very difficult to practice here and it is also very dangerous for our boxers to play here in the slippery conditions. We work so hard on our boxers, spend so much time on them and if they get injured by something so unrelated to boxing then it would be highly frustrating for the boxer and for the training staff,” Hernandez said.

 

He further said that the people responsible for the smooth running of such affairs were incompetent and were causing a huge wastage of money through their actions.

 

“I told the federation I won't practice in this wet place. But that is not the way out. Our pugilists need continuous training and any gap would not serve our purpose for the mega international events that are coming up,” he added.

 

Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) secretary Akram Khan said that they have told PSB Centre officials about the problem but they haven't deputed any staff for removing the water from the area.

 

Chairman National Assembly's Standing Committee on Sports Iqbal Mohammad Ali Khan also criticized officials of PSB Karachi Centre for their negligence.

 

“It is their duty to look after the center properly, especially when a national training camp is underway. The government spends so much money on national camps but due to negligence of a few people funds and efforts of others get wasted,” he said.

 

He added that if players are not provided with proper infrastructure then it is unjust to expect medals from them.

 

“Yesterday, when I visited the camp, it was submerged in the rain water while water was also dripping from the ceilings. It was a shame that the boys were practicing in such conditions. This is not fair with the players. We criticize them when they fail to win medals but we don't even care to know what the reasons behind their failure were. I feel these problems are the main factors which differentiate our players from their international counterparts,” said the annoyed chairman. -PPI

Opinion

Editorial

Islamabad march
Updated 27 Nov, 2024

Islamabad march

WITH emotions running high, chaos closes in. As these words were being written, rumours and speculation were all...
Policing the internet
27 Nov, 2024

Policing the internet

IT is chilling to witness how Pakistan — a nation that embraced the freedoms of modern democracy, and the tech ...
Correcting sports priorities
27 Nov, 2024

Correcting sports priorities

IT has been a lingering battle that has cast a shadow over sports in Pakistan: who are the national sports...
Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...