Volleyball caught in PSB-POA conflict

National event postponed amid tussle between the two bodies.

KARACHI: The postponement of the National Volleyball Men’s Championship this month has left players disgruntled as they demanded an end to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) tussle.

According to Farooq Khan and Abdul Rahim, who played for the Pakistan in the 2012 Olympic wildcard event in Bulgaria, the lack of local tournaments and the indefinite delay of the national championship has added to the players’ uncertainty.

“If this conflict continues, the volleyball team will cease to exist,” Khan told The Express Tribune. “We don’t have any president or secretary for the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) because the PSB doesn’t recognise the body. The national championship was scheduled to take place from April 20, but it has been postponed and we don’t have a new date so far.”

Khan added that players travel to other countries to feature in leagues that pay them better since it was not feasible for them to wait for events in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2013.