PWF pins hopes on Hasan, Rehman for CIS Games glory

A four-member wrestling contingent from Pakistan, comprising two athletes and two officials, departed for Azerbaijan on Wednesday to participate in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Games, which are currently underway across seven cities in the host country.

The CIS Games, featuring athletes from member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, are known for their competitive standard and serve as an important platform for emerging talent in various sports disciplines.

Representing Pakistan in the wrestling competition are Hasan Ali (70kg), a gold medallist at the Children of Asia Games, and Abdur Rehman (65kg), an international wrestler. Both athletes are competing in the under-17 category which is the age limit set for participants in these Games.

Pakistan aims for glory

The wrestlers are accompanied by coach Ghulam Fareed and senior Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) official Syed Naveed-ur-Rehman. The team has been prepared under the guidance of the Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF).

PWF Secretary General and former world champion Mohammad Inam Butt expressed confidence in the young wrestlers' potential.

"Both Hasan and Abdur Rehman are extremely talented. Although the level of competition is quite high especially with several participants having also competed at the Cadet World Championship, I am very hopeful that our wrestlers will deliver solid performances," Inam told Nukta from Gujranwala.

"This is the right age to groom future prospects. By exposing them to top-level competition early on, we equip them with the experience and skills necessary for future national representation at the senior level," he added.

"We selected the best talent through a rigorous trial process and kept them in a one-and-a-half-month training camp in Gujranwala,” Inam said.

Abdur Rehman, notably, is the younger brother of Abdullah, who won a bronze medal at the Asian Under-20 Wrestling Championship. According to Inam both wrestlers are well-prepared for the challenge.

"Rehman has trained with some of our top senior wrestlers including Asadullah, Hammad Butt, and Ahmed Butt. He is fully prepared and so is Hasan, who has shown immense promise as a future star in the sport," Inam said.

"The CIS Games are a tough field, especially with the participation of athletes from Russian states, who are traditionally strong in wrestling. Azerbaijan itself is a wrestling powerhouse so our athletes will gain valuable experience by competing here,” Inam said.

Inam also confirmed that Hasan Ali will also be representing Pakistan later this month at the Asian Youth Games, scheduled to be held in Bahrain.

"This continued exposure to international events is exactly what our young athletes need in order to grow and compete at the highest levels in the future," he concluded.

Competition at a glance

The competitions will run from September 28 to October 8, 2025 and will feature events in 23 different sports. Of these eight will be hosted in Ganja, four in Mingachevir, four in Qabala, three in Shaki, two in Goygol and one each in Yevlakh and Khankendi.

In addition to teams from CIS member states athletes from other countries have been invited to participate by the Azerbaijan government.

A total of 246 medal events are planned with swimming offering the highest number of medal opportunities, 40 sets in total. The competitions will take place across 12 sports venues throughout the host cities.

The official mascots of the Games are Bebir and Leyla, a pair of Caucasian leopards. The event will be held under the motto "Victory in Every Heart."