Guinness record holder ends month-long protest

Pins hope on the country’s top court to help the sport-loving youth of the country

LAHORE: Guinness record holder Farhan Ayub, who started his protest over a month ago, has finally ended it after 34 days.

He has now moved the Supreme Court in the hope that it may alleviate his grievances.

“I hope legislation is introduced to support ‘Guinness record holders’ financially so that they can continue to earn a good name for their country,” he said.



Ayub broke UK player Brandon’s kip ups record. He had made 22 in one minute and set up 34 kip ups in February 2014 during the Punjab Youth Festival. He said in March 2017, he also set his second record by performing 25 ‘no handed kip ups’. The Guinness World Records said they would note down the name of an athlete who would successfully perform more than 18 ‘no handed kip ups’.

Wearing a white T-shirt and black trousers, the 24-year-old was sitting on the footpath in front of Punjab Assembly. He expressed his grief over the non-seriousness of the legislators, saying nobody bothered to inquire why he was sitting there.

Ayub said some legislators had assured they would raise a voice in the assembly to introduce legislation to support him and other record holders. He also met with Punjab Minister for Sports Jahangir Khanzada, but all his efforts were in vain.

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“Bahria Town is bearing all my educational expenses and now I want to bring legislation through MPAs in the assembly to devise a mechanism for deserving players who are record holders, but facing financial problems,” he said. Under the law, he hoped authorities would help out those record holders so they could continue with their sports activities.

He said he wrote a letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, drawing its attention towards those position holders who were being deprived of their rights. An application signed by 15 people was sent to the Supreme Court, he said, demanding notice be taken by the court.  “I established two records, but all have fallen flat due to poverty and I am now sitting on the footpath, begging for help just to secure my future. I am optimistic and have a lot of hopes to become a star of the country,” he said.

On the first day of his protest, he was found sitting with a medal hanging around his neck and a certificate from the Guinness in one hand. He held an appeal in the hand which read: “Peaceful Protest… Appeal to politicians; I want study for the last 5 years but I have no fee”.

After Bahria Town started paying his educational expenses, he protested for the rights of talented youth who could not continue their sporting activities due to poverty.

Talking to The Express Tribune, he said there should be new legislation for the rights of the youth. “I want to set new records, but lack the resources to continue my sports activities.”

He appealed to the government and the Supreme Court chief justice to introduce legislation for the youth so they could continue with their sporting activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2017.