Saddened Haroon Khan Turns to Pakistan After English Snub

Haroon Khan, the younger brother of the WBA world light-welterweight boxing champion Amir, has spoken of his huge disappointment in not being allowed to represent England at the Commonwealth Games and of the delicate issues stemming from what he sees as a snub from the Amateur Boxing Association that has forced him to fight "his English brothers" wearing the vest of Pakistan.

The 19-year-old, predicted by many in boxing to have greater potential than even Amir, is in Delhi making final preparations before fighting this week in the 49-52kgs weight class for Pakistan in the Commonwealth Games. Next month he also intends to box at the Asian Games in China before most probably turning professional, partly because he cannot bring himself to fight for Pakistan at the 2012 London Olympics. But he cannot understand how the governing body of amateur boxing in Britain has forced him to fight for another country against his friends and former training partners, and he predicts a reaction back home from the British Muslim community.

"It's a young boxer's dream to fight in the Commonwealth Games for his country but unfortunately this isn't going to happen," said Haroon, speaking from the Games village. "I wanted to represent my country where I've been born and bred. I also really wanted to box for Britain at the Olympics ever since Amir won the silver at the Athens Olympics. I"m not sure why it's not going to happen now.

"I won the junior nationals in the UK last year but then there was no further correspondence from the federation. That's when the Pakistani federation called me up and asked me to come to their trials in March.  This whole thing of the British federation leaving me out despite my performance is going to turn political, if not now then as we move closer to the Olympics. The strong community of British Asians are going to take to the street and protest about my omission.

"The fact is I'm born in England. I've got my house there. For me, personally, it's going to get awkward to represent Pakistan and fight my English brothers in the ring at the Commonwealth Games and then the Olympics. Every English coach I've spoken to feels that I should have been there in the England team. Maybe it's because of the politics. I've been training in Pakistan with 20 other boxers. The head coach is Cuban. He is happy with my technique. The amount of respect they have shown me from the moment I landed is incredible."

In a show of support his coach, Mick Jelley, will be in his corner here in Delhi helping, in effect, the Pakistani boxing team. Jelley, from the Bury Amateur Boxing Club, was also in Amir Khan's corner when he won silver at the 2004 Olympics. Although Haroon may not have received any support from England his brother Amir, tipped as a potential opponent of Manny Pacquaio's next year assuming he can defend his title against Argentinian Marcos Maidana in las Vegas in December, has been helping him towards his goal of winning at least a medal for Pakistan.

"Amir is the brighter side of the Muslim story," he explained. "I see my brother as my idol. He's been there and done it. When I'm sparring in England Amir teaches me the different ways of fighting boxers with different styles. I'm thankful to him for helping my preparation for the Games.

"He is always respectful towards strangers who come up to him and tell him how much he has contributed towards the cause of Muslims in Britain.

"It was quite bad for a time for us after what happened in London in 2005. People formed a bad impression of our community. Sometimes you don't get a standing ovation after you emerge a winner and there are racial comments. But there are people who understand that every Muslim is not a suicide bomber or a practising jehadi."