“So much has changed in these 16 months but I’m still standing at the same point waiting for my prize money,” Asif told The Express Tribune. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
Former snooker world champion Mohammad Asif admitted that he has started to lose his focus on the game due to the non-payment of his Rs15 million prize money from the government as per the national sports policy for becoming a global champion.
More than 16 months have passed since Asif won the world championship back in December 2012, where he became only the second cueist from Pakistan to achieve the feat after Mohammad Yousuf, who won the IBSF world championship back in 1994.
Despite putting Pakistan’s name back on snooker map, Asif and the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association’s (PBSA) plea is being ignored by the government.
In the meantime, Asif went onto lose his world crown, while he, along with Mohammad Sajjad, helped Pakistan win the maiden IBSF World Team Championship.
Despite all these developments, one thing that has not changed for Asif is that he has not received his rightful payment and according to him the situation was disheartening.
“So much has changed in these 16 months but I’m still standing at the same point waiting for my prize money,” Asif told The Express Tribune.
“As a player or even as a human being you just can’t remove the thought of not getting such a heavy cash reward despite becoming a world champion.
“This non-serious attitude of the government has started to take its toll on my mind and my game which has resulted in a loss of focus in my performance.”
‘It’s snooker golden period currently’
Pakistan is probably enjoying its golden period in snooker right now with the likes of Asif and Sajjad, who are accompanied by upcoming players such as Mohammad Majid, Asjad Iqbal, Hamza Akbar and other talented individuals.
But Asif stressed that all could change very soon if the government failed to realise how the game of snooker could bloom at this point of time.
“Every player or a game has cycles during its continuous evolution,” he said. “Previously, we used to rule the world in squash, then came the golden period in hockey followed by cricket. But right now, it’s snooker which is going through a golden period and the government must realise this quickly.
“Snooker can bring laurels for Pakistan because we’ve got good quality players right now. If the government does not give due attention to the sport right now, then certainly the future will be really dark for the game and players will start giving it up as a profession.”
The 31-year-old Faisalabad-based player pleaded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to personally look at the injustice of not being given his due reward.
“The PM himself is a lover of sports and I can only request him to personally look into my case so that the efforts I and other cueists make will not go in vain,” he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (16)
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I am amazed by the comments from some readers. So what if he had won an amateur tournament ?. Didn't he represent his country on an official level ? Didn't he put the name of his country on the top ?. To all these miserable pseudo intellectuals resorting to pointless comparisons, I say let the government honor the promise made to a sportsman who had represented his country and made everyone proud of his achievement.
@Reddy, then what did you mean? We have to be sure of what we talk. I ask for a basic thing which is to encourage others who win, and not torn them down but lift them up. If he is encouraged and motivated, he can go on to win bigger and "more complete" championships which "proud people of proud nations" would love more. This was the whole point of the news item that he lost his focus due to lack of support. We have to walk before we run, so IBSF was a walk for him before he goes and compete in bigger games.
@ Khan, I didn't mean to kill anything and anybody. When proud fans like you are forced to accept pseudo nationalistic claims such as these and continue to live an illusion, you are dead any way.
@Reddy, no buddy. You mentioned something like this "This guy wouldn’t finish in the top 150 of the professional circuit in Europe". When you mention something like this, you kill it all.
goverment should hear his request otherwise we will lose such type of champions . He is awsome player of snooker . to win championship he has proved that he is a country lover . we need such type of lovers in this critical situation of country
@ Khan. You are taking it personally. This is not about Asif's achievement. This is about news coverage that is misleading. Amateur or professional, he has achieved some thing, no doubt, but I would like to know what it is exactly. True world champions like Jehangir Khan and Jhansher Khan would be slighted by being on the same page with Asif. Case rested.
U guys should achieve 10% of what he has then we talk....
please make sure you put amateur and NOT professional world champion, its like street children and soccer world cup .. good but lets not fool ourselves
@CommonSense: No he is not. In a parallel universe maybe, but i think Ronnie O`Sullivan may have something to do.
For the sake of clarity and honest reporting it is important to note that -
" The IBSF World Snooker Championship (also known as the World Amateur Snooker Championship) is the premier non-professional The IBSF World Snooker Championship (also known as the World Amateur Snooker Championship) is the premier non-professional snooker tournament in the world. The event series is sanctioned by the International Billiards and Snooker Federation ".
This guy wouldn't finish in the top 150 of the professional circuit in Europe.
" Former Snooker World Champion " misleads readers and followers of sport. Proud nations will want a complete champion. No exclusions no qualifications.
@Mohammed He is a world champ. YES HE IS GOOD.
Any bureaucrat can get 1.6 million allocated in a second to purchase an "official" pajero. No wonder we are a third world country.
If he was any good,he would make money by playing as a pro In the UK. Why should the govt give him money.