According to the Pakistan Amateur Boxing Federation, a boxer from Pakistan has gone missing in Italy after allegedly taking money from a teammate’s belongings. The athlete, identified as Zohaib Rasheed, was in Italy to participate in an Olympic qualifying tournament. An official from the federation stated that they have alerted the Pakistan Embassy in Italy and filed a police report regarding the incident.
Colonel Nasir Ahmed, the secretary of the national federation, expressed deep embarrassment over Zohaib Rasheed’s actions, especially considering his participation in the Olympic qualifying event as part of a five-member squad. Zohaib, who had previously earned a bronze medal in the Asian Boxing Championships, was highly regarded as a promising talent in Pakistan.
According to Nasir, Zohaib accessed the room keys of a fellow boxer, Laura Ikram, and allegedly stole foreign currency from her purse before vanishing from the hotel. Despite efforts to locate him, Zohaib has not been in contact with anyone, and the police are currently conducting a search.
This incident is not an isolated one, as it echoes previous instances where Pakistani athletes have left their national teams while abroad, presumably in pursuit of a better future.
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