IPC to hold meeting on missing boxers today

ISLAMABAD: The first meeting of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) on the two boxers, who went during the 22nd Commonwealth Games, has been convened on Monday (today) at the Ministry offices with all the concerned asked to come up with the required answers.

This Inquiry Committee is separate from the one that has already been constituted by the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and is in the final stages of furnishing its finding. Two boxers, Nazeer Ullah Khan and Suleman Baloch, left for in-house breakfast in a hotel during the last days of the Birmingham Games but did not report back to the coach before their scheduled departure.

In absence of the designated Deputy Chef de Mission (for monitoring players' safe departure), the boxing coach informed that the luggage of these two boxers was available in the room while the boxers were missing. The Ministry has prepared the questionnaire for all stakeholders. But it is not clear yet as to whether the Ministry has sent the questionnaire to the department which had issued these boxers the required NOC following the submission of the bond.

The questionnaire prepared by the Ministry includes: As to whether PSB has obtained Chef-de-Mission (CDM) report from Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), if otherwise, what are the reasons behind the non-submission of such report if affirmative, copy may please be provided.

Whether PSB provides details of all such incidents that happened in the past and actions taken so far.

3. What is a criterion for the formulation of a Pakistan contingent for participation in any mega event in foreign countries? The constitutional role of PSB, POA and respective National Sports Federations.

However, there are some questions that are surprising, and rather childish. These include as to who is responsible for finalising the contingent for the mega events and whether the federations are independent in selecting their teams/squads for these events. Which authority decides about the nomination of CDM and DCDM?

It is expected that the boxing federation and respective department officials are or even the POA representatives are unlikely to attend the inquiry committee meeting.