By Tom Degun in Baku

haroon_khan_v_sunday_elia_at_2010_commonwealth_games_27-09-11September 27 - British-born Haroon Khan is set to appeal against a ban from the International Boxing Association (AIBA) which dictated that he will not be able to represent Pakistan at the London 2012 Olympic Games.


Khan chose to fight for Pakistan after missing out on selection for the elite GB boxing team, claiming he had been unfairly snubbed by GB Boxing.

The 20-year-old then represented Pakistan at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games last October and claimed bronze in the 52kg lightweight category, beating Welsh star Andrew Selby in the process.

He received a Rs2 million (£14,664/$24,259/€16,864) reward from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for making in onto the podium in Delhi and claimed he made a point to GB Boxing.

However, AIBA have sent a letter to the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) saying that he will be unable to represent Pakistan at the Olympic Games because he boxed for England at youth level, although his father Shah Khan said he will appeal the decision.

"The Pakistan Boxing Federation got an email that Haroon can't represent them as he represented England as a youth," said Shah Khan.

"We sent letters back to AIBA and we're hoping that they'll accept all this."

haroon_khan_and_amir_khan_training_27-09-11
Haroon, the younger brother of WBA super and IBF light welterweight champion Amir (pictured right), was due to represent Pakistan in the AIBA 2011 World Boxing Championships here in Baku, which act as a qualifier to the Olympics.

He was named in the Pakistan team for Baku but pulled out after the AIBA ruling, although he is now hoping that the ban is overturned so that he can attempt to qualify for London 2012 next year.

He will be hoping to qualify for London 2012 so that he can go one better than his older brother at the 2012 Olympics after Amir won a silver medal at the Athens 2004 Olympics - boxing for Britain.

"Their rulings say when a boxer becomes a national in more than one country then he has decided which country he wants to represent," continued Shah Khan.

"He became a national of Pakistan in 2010; that was after he'd boxed for England.

"Then he decided he wanted to box for Pakistan, which he did in the Commonwealth Games, where he won a bronze medal.

"If you go by that rule he did decide to box for Pakistan so he should be entitled to box for Pakistan.

"There is another qualifier in February and we're keeping our fingers crossed he'll be going there."

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October 2010: Khan guaranteed medal after victory over Welshman Selby