We’ll try our best to attract top players: PSF

Squash body starts receiving entries for international event in Pakistan.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has started to receive entries for the long-awaited Professional Squash Association (PSA) Pakistan International Squash Championship to be played in October.

The PSA had asked the federation to initiate registrations for players to send in their entries four months before the tournament. It is Pakistan’s first tournament in six years after international players have been given a go-ahead by the international governing body to submit their entries.

According to PSF Secretary Captain Amir Nawaz, the federation’s hard work to get the ban overturned has finally paid off. Their next goal is to ensure appropriate marketing of the event.

“We have started to receive entries from players and one of them has applied from abroad, which is a good sign,” Nawaz told The Express Tribune.

“We have a lot of time for marketing before the event and we’ll try our best to attract top players. We need to have the right kind of approach in order to make the event a big success and we’re fully committed to get the best possible entrants for the tournament.”

‘We’ve shown reservation over ASF awards’

Recently, the Asian Squash Federation (ASF) had snubbed Jamshed Gul for the best coach award of 2013, while Asian senior champion Amir Atlas Khan and Asian junior champion Ali Bokhari Asian were also overlooked in the best player categories.

The official revealed that the PSF has corresponded with the ASF over the matter and has registered its reservation in a professional manner.

“We feel that either Gul or Amir deserved to win those awards because of their achievements last year, but ASF decided otherwise,” said the official. “We have made our concerns known to the ASF. Hopefully, the efforts of our athletes will be acknowledged in the coming years.

“ASF gave us the award for the best federation in Asia which is really good for Pakistan, but in the bigger picture all deserving candidates should get their due reward.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2014.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.