Female judo coach plans still in limbo

Federation postpones getting Iranian ahead of national event.

KARACHI:

As the Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) awaits security clearance for Iranian coach Sajjad Kazmi for the women’s squad, plans of hiring an additional female coach ahead of the national championship have been postponed.

Kazmi’s arrival was delayed after he failed to get clearance from Pakistan authorities, the PJF Secretary Masood Ahmed added that plans of hiring an Iranian female coach have also been put off. Ahmed added that the female coach was to train players for the women’s championship, which starts on March 27 in Islamabad, before the squad was finalised for the South Asian Games.

Meanwhile, national champion Humaira Ashiq said the players desperately need guidance from a professional coach in order to improve their standards and to compete against the better sides in the world.

“We won a silver medal at the South Asian Games last year,” Ashiq told The Express Tribune. “But our game hasn’t improved much. The national championship is competitive but I feel it’s also a waste of talent and time.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2012.