Snooker association upset at meagre grant

Sheikh lashes out at PSB, IPC for not recognising players’ achievements.

KARACHI: Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) President Alamgir Sheikh has lashed out at the meagre grant received, saying that the laurels won in the past year needed to be taken into account when releasing funds.

Pakistan have recently tasted success in snooker, with Mohammad Asif becoming only the second cueist from the country to win the IBSF world championship. The snooker player then triumphed at the Asian 6-Red Ball but is yet to be given the prize money of Rs10 million promised by the Pakistan Sports Board and the Inter Provincial Coordination. Mohammad Majid ended runner-up at the Asian Junior Championship as proof of ample talent in Pakistan.

However, the PBSA’s annual grant, understood to be Rs0.8 million, has disheartened the association’s authorities.

“It’s really depressing that our efforts have not been recognised,” Sheikh told The Express Tribune. “Snooker has been one of the better performing sports in the last 12 months. The lack of interest is such that Asif returned after his IBSF triumph on December 9 [last year] but the PSB finance committee meeting, which was held on December 9, actually decreased the grant from Rs1 million to Rs800,000. It’s time that snooker is recognised and given a due share.”

Meanwhile, the PBSA has named the quartet of Mohsin Amin, Amir Tariq, Muhammad Majid and Humza Akbar to participate in the IBSF World U21 Snooker Championship to be held from July 11-19 in Beijing, China.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2013.

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