Footballer accuses official of demanding sexual favour

KARACHI: Pakistan’s discarded international footballer Yasir Afridi on Monday alleged that FATA’s Director Sports and Youth Affairs Ayaz Khan offered to sponsor his tour of Qatar in return for sexual favours.
“I had been in contact with Ayaz for the last few days. Today I went to his office with a letter from a club of Qatar which has invited me for trials through an agent. I told him to sponsor me but he was making excuses. Later when I called him from outside his office on his cell phone he made the demand that left me shell-shocked,” Afridi revealed to ‘The News’ after holding a hurriedly called press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday.
“When I got his actual point, I decided to hold a press conference,” Afridi said.
“He talked meanly about me to other people as well. I told him that I am not a common man and have played 81 international matches for Pakistan. But he did not care,” Afridi added.
He claimed that he had a few obscene text messages sent to him by the official.
He demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor take action against him. “He does not deserve to live in society. The KP Governor should take notice and remove him immediately,” said Afridi, who also plays for Khan Research Laboratories (KRL).
“I took the decision to speak against him in public because I fear if he can treat an international player like this he can do a lot of mischief with the innocent young players of the tribal belt,” said Afridi, one of the finest midfielders the country has produced.
His European style of football has been appreciated by Pakistan’s foreign coaches as well. He has been playing Premier League since 2007.
Ayaz rejected Yasir’s allegations. “It is a conspiracy against me. There are hands behind Afridi’s action,” Ayaz told this correspondent.
“I swear by Holy Quran that I have not said to him any such thing,” Ayaz said.
“He came today to my office at 11:30am along with a bogus letter and told me to sponsor him. I had also with me in the office Manager Events Ayub Khan and two other officials,” Ayaz added.
“He left my office and called me after half an hour and told me that he would defame me,” Ayaz said.
“I will continue working for the promotion of sports in the region; nobody can blackmail me,” the official said.
“I have informed the political agent of Khyber Agency, tehsildar and others. He will be arrested and action will be taken against him for using foul language against me,” Ayaz said.
When pressed, Ayaz said that Shahid Shinwari, a former official of FATA Olympic Association, and others were behind Afridi’s move.
When contacted, Shinwari rejected Ayaz’s illegations. “I don’t even have cell number of Afridi. I have nothing to do with this,” Shinwari told this correspondent.
“If a person is compelled to take such a major step of holding a press conference he must have passed through some tough time,” Shinwari said.