National gymnastic event cancelled again

Lack of funds forces federation to put off event for second successive time.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Gymnastics Federation (PGF) has been forced to cancel the national championship for the second successive year due to a lack of funds.

According to the PGF President Khwaja Farooq Saeed, the event, scheduled to take place next month, could not be held since the federation did not have adequate funds to get new equipment for the national championship.

Wapda won the last national championship that took place in 2010.

Meanwhile, Amir Khan, a Wapda gymnast, said the current situation of the sport was forcing the players to look for alternate careers. “It’s frustrating as there’s no way we can show off our skills,” Khan told The Express Tribune. “I work really hard but there’s no event for players to go compete in. Somehow the federation and the Pakistan Sports board forget that gymnasts have to work harder to stay in form as compared to the other sports.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2012.