Pakistan Squash Federation to sponsor players in professional events

By Babar Malik

ISLAMABAD (TheSportsNext) August 24, 2012: The Pakistan Squash Federation, in a meeting with its President Tahir Rafique Butt accorded approval to long-standing demand of national squash players to finance them in professional events, TheSportsNext has learnt.

 

As per the decision, the Pakistan Squash Federation will sponsor the top 11 national squash players in the Professional Squash Association’s (PSA) future events which will help these players better their international squash rankings.

It is important to mention here that the top Pakistani squash players have reportedly demanded the PSF to sponsor them in professional squash tournaments so as to make them more accustomed to international standard of squash and help them improve their international ranking.

 

President Pakistan Squash Federation Tahir Rafique Butt accorded approval to the demands which means the PSF will sponsor the national squash players in PSA tournaments ranging from 10,000 US dollars to 300,000 US dollars.

Pakistani squash players were once the most renowned athletes in the sports world with Jehangir Khan and Jansher Khan ruling world squash courts for around 20 years during which Pakistan won 30 British Open titles, 14 World Open titles as well as various other international squash crowns.

At present, only three Pakistani squash players are to be found in the top 100 in the squash rankings as in the last 14 years Pakistanis have failed to qualify for either World Open or British Open final which is a cause of concern for the Pakistan Squash Federation.

With Pakistani top players like Aamir Atlas Khan and Farhan Mehboob failing to achieve high international squash rankings it was the need of the hour that the PSF sponsor them in the PSA tournaments.

The PSF meeting also decided to get these players sponsors following their request.