No money, no trips: chess federation
Lodhi, part of the Pakistan squad at the ongoing World Chess Olympiad, received invitations from Azerbaijan, Iraq and Nepal for Grandmaster events starting from September 18 and wanted the PCF to sponsor his trip. However, federation president Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry turned down the request as was not able to provide the funds.
“Lodhi is a seasoned players but we need to promote chess all over the country and not just with one person,” Chaudhry told The Express Tribune. “We’ve sent him to the Olympiad anyway but can’t help him participate in these three events.
“We need to promote other players. India has 18 grandmasters, Bangladesh has four, we have none. So it’s time to wok on other players too.”
Meanwhile, Lodhi said he needed to participate in these events in order to become the first grandmaster from Pakistan. He has also been asked to coach children in Nepal but, again, funding the trip remains a worry for the player.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 1st, 2012.
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Grand Master is a biggest title in chess game, he could have become the GM if he would have participated in more games easily, Lodhi's FIDE rating was 2394. The female chess player Nida Mishraaz Sidiqqui was sent in Bangladesh, Egypt, London even her rating was below 1800 but the best player of Pakistan (rating above 2300) couldn't represent himself...Poor Pakistani Chess federation.
the foundation should have no staff. that's where the money is being wasted if they can't send their best player out to represent the country.