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Summary Boxing has been revived in Libya after the fall of Gaddafi regime.
Banned by Libyas former leader Muammar Gaddafi as too violent, boxing is being revived by a group of middle aged men who have opened the first boxing club in Libya since it was outlawed.When world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali was photographed shaking hands with Libyas most promising boxer, few could have known Giubran Zugdanis career was about to end.Zugdani had collected victories across the world and still has a file of newspaper clippings to prove it. But Libyas former leader Muammar Gaddafi banned the sport shortly after Zugdanis appearance in the 1976 Olympics and Zugdani, with a generation of talented boxers, disappeared from the competitive ring forever.Three decades later the overthrow of Gaddafi has allowed a group of now middle-aged men to dust off their ancient gloves and open the first boxing club in Libya since the sport was outlawed.They have set up a sports hall at a football club that formerly belonged to Saadi Gaddafi, the former leaders son, and his team.Anywhere else it might be a normal after-school club but just months previously the hall had been reserved exclusively for Saadi Gaddafi and his friends.The football clubs former director, Mohammed Hamozuda, said he had been kicked out in 1993 when the former leaders son took over.Ali Al-Furjani was a promising young boxer when Gaddafi banned the sport. Like Furjani, Mahmoud Abushgewa, a championship winner in the 1970s, saw his chance of stardom curtailed.Both now hope to play their part in to steering a new generation of young Libyans into the sport in the post-Gaddafi era.The men carefully stored their gloves, and held training sessions in secret locations, waiting for a time when it would be safe to box in the open again. They are still impressively fast.Permission has only recently been confirmed by the interim government but classes are already starting at 5.30 p.m. every day and are free of charge.Many of the new students are the sons of the former boxers, the youngest still small enough to take this new freedom for granted.
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