POA may exclude squash from National Games

KARACHI: Squash is likely to be out of National Games this year due to a conflict created by an official of Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF).

Former world champion Qamar Zaman is vice president of PSF but he is also holding a position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympic Association, a parallel body, which is against the Olympic Charter.

Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has sent a warning letter to PSF, asking it to get Qamar to resign from the parallel Olympic body or it would be difficult to include squash in the National Games.

But it seems PSF is not going to resolve this issue. “This is an individual matter. Also, a provincial one. Hence it is difficult for us to interfere in this issue,” said PSF development officer Sikandar Mayo when asked what action PSF has taken against Qamar.

He added that PSF as a federal body cannot intervene because this is an issue of a provincial body. “Besides, this is a matter related to an individual,” said Sikandar. 

An official of POA told ‘The News’ that they had asked PSF to have Qamar resign from the parallel association. PSF is a unit of POA so its official cannot be in a parallel body, the official added.

“We are having a meeting on Thursday in which this issue will be discussed and a decision about whether or not to bar squash if Qamar refuses to withdraw will be taken,” said the official.

The official said that the contingent headed by Aqil Shah will participate in the National Games because he was the legal representative of KP Olympic Association.

When contacted, Qamar said the parallel association was in KP but POA wrote to PSF, a federal body. He said he had a letter of affiliation of the body with Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

“This issue has nothing to do with PSF. POA should not have sent the letter to PSF. This is a provincial matter and there is nothing illegal about it,” said Qamar. National Games are to be held in Quetta from October 7-14.