Pakistan's boxing federation is once again facing an embarrassing headache after boxer Qudratullah vanished from the team hotel following his bout at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. This is not the first time the Pakistan Boxing Federation has landed in the headlines for the wrong reasons, past major international tournaments have repeatedly seen Pakistani boxers go missing on foreign soil, and this latest disappearance revives that troubling pattern all over again.
Passport Stayed With The Manager, Yet He Slipped Away
According to a source close to the Pakistan Olympic Association, Qudratullah disappeared from the team hotel right after competing in his weight category at the Commonwealth Games. What makes the case stranger is that his passport was in the team manager's custody the entire time, yet he still managed to vanish without anyone noticing until it was time to leave.
Two Boxers Fled Birmingham In 2022 Too
This is not a one-off case for Pakistani boxing. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, two Pakistani boxers, Suleman Baloch and Nazirullah Khan, disappeared in exactly the same manner, even though their passports were with the head of the contingent at that time as well, showing this is a recurring pattern rather than a single lapse.
Bags Left Behind, Boxer Nowhere To Be Found
A Pakistan team official told the media that when staff went to Qudratullah's room to check that everyone was ready to travel, he was simply not there. "His luggage and personal belongings were in the room, but the boxer himself was missing," the official said. The team searched hard to trace him before leaving for the airport, but unfortunately had no success.
Questions Over Pakistan's Place At The 23rd Commonwealth Games
The episode has raised fresh questions over Pakistan's participation in the 23rd Commonwealth Games and has once again exposed a recurring problem facing the country's national sports teams whenever they travel abroad. The incident is expected to trigger serious scrutiny of how athletes are monitored, how team management functions, and what precautionary steps are actually taken during foreign trips. Officials are likely to investigate the exact circumstances of Qudratullah's disappearance once the team returns home, though no findings have been announced yet.
Not The First Embarrassment For Pakistani Boxing
This is far from an isolated case for Pakistani boxing. Zohaib Rasheed, an Asian gold medallist at the World Olympic Qualifiers 2024, had stolen his roommate's foreign currency and valuables before disappearing himself, an incident that had already dented the sport's reputation before this latest hotel disappearance.
A 36-Member Squad Returns With Just One Bronze
Pakistan's 36-member contingent eventually returned from Glasgow with only a single bronze medal, won by boxer Fatima Zehra. Coming alongside such a modest medal haul, the disappearance of a boxer from the team has once again put a serious question mark over the credibility and discipline of Pakistan's sports setup on the international stage.
