The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has been handed an unwanted headache after 10 of its shortlisted 25 junior players were refused permission from their parents to travel to Turkey for training.
The two-month programme, initially due to take off in August this year, would have seen 20 junior players being trained after an invitation by Turkey’s tennis federation. The PTF aimed to find players from smaller cities including Mianwali, Bhakkar, Sialkot, Faislabad and Sargodha along with Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad and the camp was rescheduled to take place after the Super Tennis League.
We want to send deserving players: PTF
However, the PTF’s inability to finalise the 20 has put the programme on hold.
“We had shortlisted 25 players but 10 dropped out,” Bhatti told The Express Tribune. “The ones left are mostly from Lahore and Islamabad but our aim is to send deserving candidates from smaller cities so we’ve decided to wait.
“We chose children from Quetta, Bhakkar, Faisalabad and Mianwali but their parents refused permission for them to travel. We have sent out a letter to the Turkey Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Federation that we will get back to them by the end of this year since it’s an opportunity that we don’t want the kids to miss out on.”
Meanwhile, according to Mohammad Ishaq, a coach in Quetta who helped shortlist the players, parents’ refusal remained the biggest hindrance in the squad going to Turkey.
“I did my job but nothing happened after that,” he said. “Some players who were shortlisted and stuck to the programme haven’t gotten any notification from the PTF yet.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2011.
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