Shah needs support to enter 2020 Olympics

PJF vice-president Ahmed says government needs to speed up funding process

KARACHI: Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) wants the Pakistan Sports Board and the government of Pakistan to accelerate the process for support when it comes to their top judoka Shah Hussain Shah, who they believe can qualify directly for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Pakistan had fielded four athletes, including Asian games bronze medallist Shah, in -100 kg event, Muhammad Hasnain in -66 kg, while two female judokas Amna Toyoda in -57kg and South Asian medallist Humaira Ashiq in Tokyo at the Seniors World Championship.

According to the PJF vice-president Masood Ahmed, the federation is in dire need of funds, but mostly it is till December that they have planned the series of events for Shah that can better the international ranking.

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"For the last two days, last week we have been writing to the government officials to help us," Ahmed told The Express Tribune. “Shah's father Hussain Shah has been an Olympic medallist in boxing too, he is a legend and he is appealing to everyone as well, but as a federation we want to make sure that our top athlete gets a place in Tokyo. Last time he became the first Pakistani to represent the country in the judo event at Olympics and the feat is very much possible to achieve again, if we get proper support."

Meanwhile, the hope lies with Shah who is based in Japan.

Shah is also ranked 73rd in the world, while he can qualify if he can make a cut among top 54 in the continent, whereas in Asia he is 57th, according to Ahmed.

Till May 2020, Shah would need to maintain his rankings to either qualify directly or on continental quota.

Shah had earlier qualified on continental quota for the 2016 Olympics.

Ahmed added that ideally the federation would want to send the women athletes too, but the task is only harder as there is a lack of funds.

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Humaira for example can be a female judoka for the Olympics but since she is based in Lahore, it is harder as the expenses for traveling for the events is more than the federation can afford.

"We wanted to focus on female judokas for the Olympics earlier. We have Amna, as she is also based in Japan, but we decided that getting Shah is not easy either, as there needs to be a plan for Olympics and resources that we have fell short on," said Ahmed.

On the other hand, Ahmed believes that the judokas will win medals at the South Asian Games that are scheduled to take place in December.

"We want to send our full squad," said Ahmed. "Seven men and seven women, our athletes have won the medals before and they have the talent to do so again. But we need the camp for it, and now we don't have a foreign coach either."

Ahmed added the federation is hoping that the Pakistan Sports Board would hold national camp after the National games that will take place in Peshawar next month.