Aamir, Farhan want exemption from trials

Squash players’ request comes ahead of selection for World Team Championship.


Nabeel Hashmi May 09, 2013
Farhan and Aamir feel the trials downplay their achievement at the Asian Individual Squash Championship. PHOTO: FILE EXPRESS

KARACHI: Asian champion Aamir Atlas Khan and semi-finalist Farhan Mehboob have requested the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) to exempt them from appearing in trials for the upcoming World Team Championship, insisting that their achievements at the recently-concluded tournament in Islamabad needed to be ‘recognised’.

Aamir clinched the Asian Individual Squash Championship, beating Abdullah Al Muzayen in the final, after Farhan went down in the last-four to the Kuwaiti player.

The two Pakistan players now feel that their recent progress should be enough to convince the PSF of their form and fitness and ‘as a token of appreciation’, the federation should exempt them from trials that will select the team for the mega event to be held in France from June 9.

The players, along with national coach Jamshed Gul, met PSF President Tahir Rafique Butt at the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) headquarters in Islamabad. Aamir was given a cash prize of Rs200,000, while Farhan and Gul were given Rs50,000 each.

“I’ve requested Butt to exempt me from trials after my recent triumph,” Aamir, who became the first Pakistani to win the individual Asian title in 15 years, told The Express Tribune. “I’m hopeful he’ll recognise my achievement and grant me exemption and to Farhan. It’s a good gesture that the PSF has rewarded us prizes. But I was expecting much more and it’s sad that the government is yet to announce anything.”



It has been learnt that the national team management is in favour of getting Aamir, Farhan and Nasir Iqbal exempted from trials, while keeping the fourth place up for grabs for the likes of Danish Atlas and Farhan Zaman.

Meanwhile, Farhan opined that the trials undermine their achievements, adding that contesting for a place in the team with players they regularly defeat is ‘discouraging’. “We’ve defeated the top players of Asia, yet we’re asked to appear in trials against players we regularly defeat. This is really discouraging. I don’t know when our efforts will be acknowledged.”

Discussions were also held on Pakistan players’ participation in at least at least eight Professional Squash Association (PSA) tournaments in a year in order to improve their ranking.

Reacting to Aamir and Farhan’s remarks, legendary Qamar Zaman said that nobody is bigger than the game, adding that all players needed to go through the same process.

“I’d given trials even when I was world number two so there is no shame in giving trials,” said Zaman. “They need to go through the process that will only help them get competitive match time ahead of an important event.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Saad Khan | 10 years ago | Reply

As much as I am proud of their achievements, I am honestly heart broken to read this story. I am just trying to imagine if they had won a world title, what would their reaction be then? I am sure they must be winning against everyone in the trials, but saying that they want to be exempted is just not ON. Imagine Spain and Brazil starting to say that they dont want to play the World Cup qualifiers just because they are too good. I dont think I ever read a story where Jehangir Khan or Jan Sher Khan asked the management to be exempted from the trials. Honest to God...!

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