Mental calculation games: World Cup qualifier awaits support

“I need the government’s support to pursue my dream,” says 35 year-old Jamshed Aslam

MULTAN: The only thing stopping Jamshed Aslam from participating in the 7th Mental Calculation World Cup 2016 is a lack of funds. Despite qualifying for the global event scheduled to take place in Germany, the 35-year-old contender awaits support.

While the three-day World Cup is scheduled to begin on September in Berryfield, Jamshed wants the government to support him to help him realise his dream.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, Jamshed, a resident of Bahawalpur, said at least 40 top players qualified for the final round from around the world and he was one of the lucky ones.

“It is an honour for me to have been selected in the final round but I do not have financial resources to participate in the world cup.” He further said he wanted to win the event but the victory seemed a distant dream due to lack of resources.

Lack of support

“I need the government’s support to pursue my dream,” he added. Jamshed maintained he gave tuitions to the students of mathematics and could not afford a trip to Germany in his meagre income.

While complaining of the lack of government’s interest in mental calculation game, he lamented, “It is an irony that the game is not registered with Pakistan Olympic Association or Pakistan Sports Board.” Jamshed cited this as the major reason why the government was not taking effective steps to promote the game. He demanded of the government to provide financial assistance to him so that he could participate in the world cup.

Standing out

Jamshed is the only player from Pakistan who has qualified for the Mental Calculation World Cup. The other players include Kazuko Miyazaki from Japan, Boris Quach from France, Nodas Boukovalas from Greece, Georgi Georgiev from Bulgaria, Jeonghee Lee from South Koria, Freddis Reyes from Cuba, Jasper Visser from Netherlands, Pascal Kaul from Switzerland, Ali Bayat from Iran, Erich Prem from Austria, Nelson Dellis from USA, Shady Kazan from Egypt, Hakan Gurbaslar from Turkey, Robert Fountain from Great Britain, Tina Bauer from Germany, Neelakantha Bhanu Parkash from India and Wezel Gru from Germany.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2016.