KARACHI – Around 26 countries from Europe, Africa and Asia are participating in the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto international boxing tournament.
Out of these 26 countries, as many as 20 have named their boxers while UAE, Thailand and Mongolia have send their written entries while Pakistan immediate neighbours Sri Lanka and India have confirmed their participation. The other countires who are expected to take part and have named teams for the event include Hungary, Iraq, Chinese Taipei, Kenya, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Peoples Republic of China, India, Nepal, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Singapore. Poland has also confirmed their entry on telephone.
The nine day tournament, dedicated to the name of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, will be held here at Benazir Bhutto KPT gymnasium January 1 to 9. The organiser of the tournament, Pakistan Boxing Federation, took over the possession of the gymnasium located very close to the boxing bowl of Pakistan Lyari after the KPT officially informed the PBF about loaning them the venue.
In the past, the gymnasium has successfully served as boxing venue for international events. It was here that one of the boxing qualifying rounds for Beijing and world championships were successfully held. The venue could hold sizable number of fans and have ample room to install TV cameras and other technical equipment. But above all, it is safe venue. The PBF, which has earlier decided to hold the championship at EXPO Centre opposite Hasan Square, had to shift the venue because it would cost the organisers close to Rs five million just to pay the hiring charges of the areas and making temporary seating arrangements.
All the sports organisers of the country are hoping if the PBF was able to host the event successfully it would remove the stigma about Pakistan being insecure for sporting events.
It all happed early this year when unidentified persons attacked Sri Lankan cricket team on the Liberty round about in Lahore in March during the second Test the visitors were playing. Since then a number of countries have refused to visit Pakistan to play and have requested shifting of the venue from this country.
Out of these 26 countries, as many as 20 have named their boxers while UAE, Thailand and Mongolia have send their written entries while Pakistan immediate neighbours Sri Lanka and India have confirmed their participation. The other countires who are expected to take part and have named teams for the event include Hungary, Iraq, Chinese Taipei, Kenya, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Peoples Republic of China, India, Nepal, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Singapore. Poland has also confirmed their entry on telephone.
The nine day tournament, dedicated to the name of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, will be held here at Benazir Bhutto KPT gymnasium January 1 to 9. The organiser of the tournament, Pakistan Boxing Federation, took over the possession of the gymnasium located very close to the boxing bowl of Pakistan Lyari after the KPT officially informed the PBF about loaning them the venue.
In the past, the gymnasium has successfully served as boxing venue for international events. It was here that one of the boxing qualifying rounds for Beijing and world championships were successfully held. The venue could hold sizable number of fans and have ample room to install TV cameras and other technical equipment. But above all, it is safe venue. The PBF, which has earlier decided to hold the championship at EXPO Centre opposite Hasan Square, had to shift the venue because it would cost the organisers close to Rs five million just to pay the hiring charges of the areas and making temporary seating arrangements.
All the sports organisers of the country are hoping if the PBF was able to host the event successfully it would remove the stigma about Pakistan being insecure for sporting events.
It all happed early this year when unidentified persons attacked Sri Lankan cricket team on the Liberty round about in Lahore in March during the second Test the visitors were playing. Since then a number of countries have refused to visit Pakistan to play and have requested shifting of the venue from this country.
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