British Acting High Commissioner visits boxing academy as Commonwealth Games begin in Birmingham

Pakistan has sent a 102-member delegation to Birmingham to compete in 12 different sports. Pakistan’s female contingent at these Games is the biggest ever with 25 athletes set to compete and is also making history: women’s cricket is featuring for the first time in the Birmingham Games.

Accompanied by Ismat Ullah Mahr, the Academy’s Head Coach, the Acting High Commissioner received boxing tips from the pro-athletes, including Usman Wazeer, the first Pakistani to win the Asian Boxing Federation Welterweight title. He also met with female athletes, who hope one day to become the next stars of the Commonwealth Games.

The Acting High Commissioner noted at the heart of the relationship between the UK and Pakistan were deep people-to-people links, with Birmingham being home to a vibrant and strong British – Pakistani community.

British Acting High Commissioner Andrew Dalgleish said:

Sport brings people together with the Birmingham Games showing how the UK and Pakistan are ek saath in our 75 year partnership. I am delighted that we will see a record number of Pakistani female athletes competing, inspiring the next generation of girls in the UK, Pakistan and around the world.

Notes to editors:

1. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of our members are small states, including many island nations. Commonwealth member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. https://thecommonwealth.org/about-us

2. The Commonwealth Games bring nations together in a colourful celebration of sport and human performance. But the Games have evolved dramatically since its beginnings in 1930. Held every four years, with a hiatus during World War II, the Games have grown from featuring 11 countries and 400 athletes, to a global spectacle of 4,600 sports men and women from across 72 nations and territories.

3. The 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place from 28 July to 8 August 2022 featuring thousands of world-class athletes and a global broadcast audience of over a billion. The Games will be the biggest sporting and cultural event the UK’s West Midlands has ever held – and is already breaking records as the most inclusive games (feature the biggest ever para-sport programme and more women’s medals than men’s for first time at a major multi-sport event), the greenest games (being carbon neutral for the first time) and fastest (being delivered in four and a half years rather than the usual seven).

4. Pakistan has competed in 13 of the 21 previous Commonwealth Games, from 1954. Its most successful games have been the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, where it was 4th in the overall rankings and won 8 Gold Medals. Its most successful event has been wrestling, where it has won 42 medals, 21 of which have been Gold. It ranks 3rd overall in Wrestling at the Commonwealth Games.

5. Pakistan is set to compete in 12 of the 19 sports being run at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. These include: Swimming, Athletics (including Para Athletics), Cricket, Boxing, Hockey, Judo, Squash, Table Tennis, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Badminton, and Gymnastics.
6. Since Her Majesty the Queen’s launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay from Buckingham Palace back in October 21, the baton has travelled across the Commonwealth, demonstrating the spirit of friendship that connects our countries and reiterates our shared values. It arrived in Pakistan in December 21, spending three days in Sindh. https://www.birmingham2022.com/queens-baton-relay/event/2468087/pakistan

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