Visa issues mean no training for cueists

Snooker squad to prepare for Doha events in Karachi.

KARACHI: Plagued by visa delays, Pakistan’s four-member snooker squad will be unable to take part in a 10-day training camp in Doha ahead of the 1st Asian Team event and the 2nd 6-Red tournament.

Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh had earlier requested Mubarak Al Khayarin, Asian Confederation of Billiards and Snooker general secretary and chairman of the Qatar Snooker Academy, to allow the team to train with a professional coach in Doha.

However, the delay in visas has effectively cancelled the plan.

“Our team won’t be able to take training in Doha because of the visa delay,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “I was very keen on this plan and we got a good response from al Khayarin. But it’s not possible now as we’re expecting the visas to be issued on May 20. Now we’ll be holding a three-day training camp in Karachi from May 21.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2013.