Lifetime ban imposed on PBF high-ups after boxers 'slipped away' during foreign tours

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) imposed a lifetime ban on Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) president Khalid Mehmood and secretary Col (retd) Nasir Ijaz Tung after three boxers slipped away during foreign tours.

Three Pakistani boxers 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.