"We have received a green signal to hire a Cuban coach," PBF Secretary Akram Khan told The Express Tribune. "It is a huge boost because we were badly missing an expert trainer."
The PBF, due to shortage of funds, had to release Cuban coach Francisco Hernandez Roldan last December under whom the country clinched two bronze medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
After his departure, the national boxers managed a single bronze medal via Mohammad Waseem out of various international outings this year. However, there are no chances of a Cuban trainer arriving before this month's World Championship that will act as the first Olympics qualifiers.
"We will be sending our request to the Cuban sports ministry shortly. The coach will train the boxers for the second Olympics qualifying tournament in Kazakhstan in March because the first qualifier is just a week away.
"We will welcome Roldan but it is up to his country to choose him or some other trainer."
The secretary added it was also decided in the meeting to hold three joint training camps in Islamabad where foreign teams will also be invited.
While the national boxers struggle to qualify for the London Games, the PSB and the PBF have formulated a plan for the 2016 Olympics.
"We will hold a two-month under-16 training camp in four major centres. The camps will be set up in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta after which a ranking tournament will be held to scout for the best talent. "The best boxers from the process will be selected for advanced training in order to prepare them for the 2016 Olympics."
Link to original report in The Express Tribune.
Ten Amateur boxers from Ghana to train in Cuba ahead of London 2012
Ghana would send ten members of the National Amateur Boxing team, the Black Bombers on a training tour of Cuba ahead of the London 2012 Olympics Games.
The boxers are expected to have months of training in Cuba, which is noted for its strength in amateur boxing after dominating the events over the past years.
Worlanyo Agra, Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA) disclosed this to the GNA Sports in an interview on Tuesday in Maputo Mozambique.
He said the tour will take the boxers through rigorous training programmes to enable them to prepare physically and mentally for the global event.
Agra said the team will also cease the opportunity to learn modern trends in the sport, especially the new scoring system and how to apply the right punches in amateur boxing.
"Most of our boxers still fight like professionals and that is how come we did not perform well at the All Africa Games.
"The sport has changed over the years, you don't just punch but ensure that it is a scoring one and these are some of the things they will study whilst in Cuba to remedy the situation". Agra stated.
Agra said the team will also have adequate concentration whilst in Cuba, because there will be less distractions.
"Over there, it will be training and rest and nothing else and this will put them in the best of shapes for the Olympic Games next year". He intimated.
Agra said the NSA will collaborate with the Ghana Amateur Boxing Authority (GABA) to plan the trip, adding that they will also help in the selection of the boxers for the trip as well as the time for training programme.
The Black Bombers, once a powerful force in Amateur Boxing in Africa could only manage two compensatory bronze medals at the 10th All Africa Games through David Bawa and Maxwell Amponsah.
The other eight members of the team were eliminated at the early stages of the competition sending worrying signals about the future of the sport in the country and so the need for pramatic measures to curb the default.
Cuba 50 