The Board of Inquiry’s (BOI) report on the death of featherweight boxer Ubayd Haider has been termed a ‘preliminary’ one by the Minister of Youth and Sports Jese Saukuru.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday Saukuru clarified that it is not the final report since the BOI has not interviewed South Pacific Boxing Promotions promoter Freddy Chand.

Chand lives in Sydney, Australia.

“He (Chand) is referring the committee (Board of Inquiry) to his lawyer Roopesh Singh,” Saukuru said.

The Minister said the BOI has also informed him that they would interview Chand today with the presence of his lawyer.

In an interview last week BOI leader Edwin Wainqolo said they had sufficient documents in their possession that can allow them to draw a conclusive remark in their assessment.

“We’ve tried every attempt in our means to actually get in touch with him (Chand) but there are other things that have came up which actually restricted our travel,” he said during that interview.

“But that doesn’t naturally bar him (Chand) from being heard. He has actually engaged a lawyer and we are actually running against time.”

Haider collapsed after his ninth round TKO (technical knockout loss) against Runqi Zhou of Australia for the IBO (International Boxing Organisation) Asia Pacific super featherweight title on October 26, last year, at Nadi’s Prince Charles Park. He was rushed to Lautoka Aspen Hospital where he underwent head surgery before he passed away on November 10.

“The report that I have here is still preliminary, it’s not the final report,” Saukuru added.

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