ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Taekwondo Federation secretary Lt Col Waseem Ahmed Janjua blasted Pakistan Sports Board for step motherly treatment to taekwondo players.
In an interview with The Nation on Sunday, he said: “Our players had won laurels in SAF Games and international events winning both gold and silver medals, but despite performing exceptionally well, PSB is not in a mood to help the federation to continue to work on the players and doing their utmost to create hurdlers in our way.”
Waseem said the federation had requested PSB on several occasions that two high profile international events are round the corner and urged them to release funds so that federation can establish training camps but the PSB was not paying heed to the request. “Our players had shown their potential in the past and they are ready to repeat the same in Mount Everest Taekwondo event to be held in Nepal in December and the most prestigious event the World Taekwondo Grand Prix to be held in Manchester, UK from December 12 to 16, which is a ranking event and very much important for our players to earn international ranking points. But PSB is keeping a mum on all our requests.”
Waseem said the Junior World Championship will be held in Vietnam in March next and qualification round for 2014 Youth Olympics would also be held, which would provide a direct entry to our players in the prestigious event and Commonwealth Games to be held in Scotland next year. How on earth is it possible for our players to participate in all these events without proper training, which is not possible without PSB’s financial help, he questioned.
“We had never won medals in Asian Games in the past but this time the situation is completely different. Our players had the luxury of having world's top quality latest equipment and they had learned how to use them properly. With less than 10 months left in the Asian Games to be held in Korea, we are still thinking about ways and means to start training camp to enable players prepare themselves for the mega event.”
Waseem said Pakistan had a great medal prospect living in Scotland for the past three years in Atif Arshad, who is representing Pakistan for the past few years. “He is a genuine medal hope and federation is willing to offer him some support including bearing his travel expenses. I can guarantee, the lad will not disappoint the nation and is capable of winning medal for the country in return. But to achieve these goals we need financial assistance from the PSB, who are not ready to listen to our requests and using delaying tactics, which would dent country's chances of winning medals in number of international events. If our players fail to represent country without proper training or fail to appear in the mega events, no one else but the PSB should be held responsible for that unfortunate incident.”
“It is my humble request to PSB Director General Syed Amir Hamza Gilani to issue funds for training camp immediately, as it is not the time to settle scores, as it would hamper country's chances of winning medals and would not send positive signals to players, who had worked very hard to maintain fitness and remain in shape,” Waseem concluded.