Pakistan’s wrestling contingent will officially not feature in the upcoming World Wrestling Championship, scheduled from September 13 to 21 in Croatia, damaging the team’s chances of qualifying for the 2028 Olympics.
The Pakistan Wrestling Federation has confirmed that the decision has been made due to financial constraints and the absence of proper training camps. Inam Butt, the newly elected Secretary of the PWF and a decorated wrestler himself, acknowledged the situation during a media interaction, expressing disappointment over the country’s inability to participate in one of the sport’s premier events.
“The lack of funds and the inability to organize preparatory camps have unfortunately forced us to skip this year’s championship,” Butt said. “We are actively working to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
The World Wrestling Championship, which serves as a straightforward path to the Oympic games, is not even the first international event Pakistan has missed this year. The country also sat out the Asian Wrestling Championship held in March—a crucial tournament that serves as a qualifier for the World Championship.
While the federation finds itself at a crossroads, Inam Butt remains optimistic. He stressed that efforts are already underway to secure funding and restore confidence in the national wrestling program ahead of future events.
“We will do everything possible to ensure Pakistan is represented at next year’s Asian Wrestling Championship,” he assured.
Despite the setback, Butt and the newly formed PWF leadership are aiming to rebuild from within, starting with financial stability and the resumption of regular training camps so incidents like the team missing the World Wrestling Championship do not happen again.
With Pakistan absent from two major competitions in 2025, the urgency to fix the system and get the country’s wrestlers back on the mat has never been greater.