Atlas overlooked for Asian Championship

Banned Asian Games gold, silver medalist omitted from squad.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) will omit the country’s top-ranked player Aamir Atlas when it names the squad for next month’s Asian Squash Championship to be held in Malaysia.

Atlas, who secured individual silver and a team gold at the Asian Games last year, was banned by the federation in January for breaching the code of conduct. Subsequently, Atlas announced his retirement in protest before reversing his decision after being convinced by the then Federal Sports Minister Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani.

The current world number 30 has not taken part in events that come under the Professional Squash Associations (PSA) but the PSF has no intentions of including him for the continental event to be held under the Asian Squash Federation (ASF).

“Atlas will have to complete his six-month ban,” PSF Secretary Irfan Asghar told The Express Tribune. “He will definitely not be considered before his ban ends in June.”

He said the PSF will maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards indiscipline and will not allow any player, regardless of ranking or class to break the rules and regulations.

“The PSF will only prefer players who obey rules,” he said before confirming the best possible squad would be named. “We will name players soon and it will be the best available squad. We don’t lack talent in the country and we are confident the youngsters would achieve good results.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2011.