By AM Khan
LAHORE, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) December 2, 2012: Renowned Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki, now Muhammad Hussain, will establish Pakistan’s first international freestyle wrestling academy in the Southeastern city of Lahore in collaboration with the Punjab government, TheSportsNEXT.com has learnt.
Deputy speaker Punjab Assembly and chief organiser sports Rana Mashood Ahmad Khan and Inoki disclosed this here at a press briefing on Saturday.
Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Usman Anwar was also present on the occasion along with 10 other Japanese wrestlers who will take part in the Sports and Peace Festival Wrestling to held today (Sunday) here at the National Stadium under lights.
Inoki said the sports and peace wrestling event would present a peace message from Pakistan to the entire world. “By having the world’s best wrestlers in action in the city, I will be promoting the freestyle game in Pakistan which is full of talent and what they needed is just to groom that talent with proper training. I will dig out the talent here and provide the freestyle training to the selected wrestlers so that they may compete at international level,” Inoki said.
“It is my fourth visit to Pakistan as earlier I have visited the country within the period of 1976 to 1984. Now, I was being asked not to visit Pakistan because of security threats but due to my deep attachment with this country I have decided to see myself that how much dangerous this country is. But everything is good here and we are enjoying our stay here,” he added.
He stated that he had received great love and hospitality from Pakistani people and he also welcomed the Punjab government’s announcement of establishing a freestyle wrestling academy which he would patronize fully.
Rana Mashood highlighted the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif which is a step forward in the revival of international sports in Pakistan.
As part of the 60-year relations of Pakistan and Japan, Inoki is here with a team of 10 wrestlers to showcase the soft and positive image of the country. He is also accompanied by Japanese media and some of their family members.
Rana Mashood said the academy would be established once its proper plan and layout was made.
The visiting wrestlers would lock horns in a freestyle wrestling at the National Hockey Stadium on December 2 at 5pm. One of the great wrestlers of his time and member of Bholu family Nasir Bholu would also be among the guests during the entire activity.
Mashood informed that Pakistan wrestler would be trained under Inoki’s expertise and they would compete with Japanese wrestlers during their next visit.
Meanwhile, Inoki and the team of 10 wrestlers visited the graves of Akram (Akki) Pehalwan and Zubair (Jhara) Pehalwan here at the Mohni Road.
Inoki offered fateha and prayed for the departed souls for eternal peace. He also adopted 13-year old nephew of Jhara Pehalwan for freestyle wrestling training. He said he would make Jhara’s nephew one of the best freestyle wrestlers of the world.
In the morning, Inoki and his team were accorded warm welcome here at the Lahore airport and a large corps of wrestling fans and journalists were also present to receive them.
