The Amir Khan Boxing Academy, established by Britain-born Pakistani boxer Amir Khan, has been a beacon of hope for young boxing aspirants in Pakistan. The state-of-the-art facility, located within the premises of the Pakistan Sports Complex in Islamabad, aims to provide top-notch training and support for budding boxers.
Frontier Corps’ occupation of Amir Khan Boxing Academy
In recent years, the academy faced a significant setback. The Frontier Corps (FC), a paramilitary force, took control of the academy’s premises, leading to its closure. For more than a year, aspiring boxers were unable to train, and the dream of honing their skills under Amir Khan’s guidance seemed to fade away.
View this post on Instagram
Amir Khan, who had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for setting up the academy in 2015, raised his voice against the FC’s occupation. He stressed the need for government intervention to vacate the FC officials from the premises. In a heartfelt message on social media, Amir Khan expressed his concern about the poor condition of the academy and the impact it had on young boxers.
After widespread criticism, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) finally took action. In the wee hours of Monday, the FC was asked to vacate the academy. Staff from the PSB and workers from the Capital Development Authority carried out a cleaning operation to prepare
the facility for revival. The PSB officer stated that the academy required renovation and announced plans to hold a boxing event soon.
Amir Khan Thanks Pak Government for Resolution
Amir Khan expressed his gratitude to the government, the Pakistan Army, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for their efforts in getting the premises vacated.
“I want to say big thank you to Pakistan Sports Board and Pakistan Army and also government, also interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who helped us a lot for getting the premises vacated,”
Thank you the gym is now back with us , thank you to the pak army and pak gov for helping to fix the issue. The gym will be active in June for boxers to train and compete. #PakArmy #PakBoxing. pic.twitter.com/2Nldlk5mVI
— Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) April 29, 2024
He continued “All FC personnel have gone from gym [academy]. We will open the gym [academy] after one month and we will bring all new required equipment. I had been receiving a lot of messages from aspiring boxers that they had been unable to train. But now they can do that and aspire to fight for Pakistan on the world stage.”
The Amir Khan Boxing Academy’s struggle for revival highlights the importance of nurturing sports talent in Pakistan. With the FC’s departure, the academy can once again become a hub for aspiring boxers.
Read More- Indian Fighter Zar Mawia to Headline CFN 30 in Indonesia; Vridhi Kumari to Face Off Local Hero