PSA enhances Pakistan prize money

KARACHI: The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has promised to give Pakistan two tournaments of $25,000 and two of $10,000 in the next season, the executive committee of Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) was told in its meeting on Wednesday.

Sources informed ‘The News’ that the meeting was chaired by Senior Vice President Razi Nawab who told the members that PSA has assured PSF to upgrade the prize money for two tournaments for Pakistan.

PSA allots PSF four tournaments of $10,000 a year, but due to pressing requests of PSF it has increased the prize money of two tournaments from $10,000 to $25,000. “This is a good sign for Pakistan. Now foreign players will consider coming to Pakistan. And it will also give a boost to the international rankings of our players,” said a source.

The tournaments will be held in Peshawar, Lahore, and Islamabad next year.

The provincial associations, especially Sindh’s, have been directed to hold leagues for the betterment of the game.

They have also been told to organise more coaching and refereeing courses.

The source further said that a committee has been formed to resolve the ranking issues. “The committee is to be headed by Tahir Khanzada and Qamar Zaman, who will revise the criterion of national rankings,” he added.

He added the committee had also given November 30 deadline to those players who had objections to the age scrutiny conducted by PSF. “The committee has asked those who have objections to come with age tests done at either Shaukat Khanum Hospital or Agha Khan Hospital. The PSF believes 95 percent of the results of the age scrutiny were correct,” he added.

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