Medal-winning ju-jitsu players told to bear part of World Games expenses

KARACHI: Pakistan’s leading ju-jitsu players Mohammad Ammar and Abu Huraira will have to contribute some money from their own pockets to ensure their participation in the World Games to be held in Wroclaw, Poland, from July 20 to 30.

“Some money will be contributed by the players and some will be managed by the federation to ensure their participation in Poland event,” Pakistan Ju-Jitsu Federation (PJJF) president Khalil Ahmed told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

He added that Abu Huraira had got Poland visa, while Ammar would get it in a couple of days. They will feature in the duo event. A couple of months back when this correspondent met these players during their training session here at the PSB Coaching Centre they seemed excited about their dream appearance in the World Games but at the same time they were dejected due to lack of proper financial support.

This is the first time that Pakistan qualified for the major global show. The pair from Karachi grabbed silver medal in the Asian Championship in Turkmenistan held in October 2016, which also served as qualifiers for the World Games. The duo, which represents WAPDA at the domestic level, claimed silver medal in the World Championships in Bangkok in 2015.

“They are very good players and have performed excellently in international circuit. But no one is backing us. You know about the NOC and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has told us that it does not have money because the financial year has just started. It’s discouraging,” Khalil said.

Both the players have been employed by WAPDA on stipends which adds to their woes. This correspondent has learnt that they have not been given appointment letters although they have served the department for over a decade.

Khalil said that ju-jitsu was the only discipline which had been winning medals for the country in international circuit.

“Everyone knows how our players have been performing for so many years. But no one cares about this discipline. We need infrastructure. We have requested the PSB several times but to no avail. We need a foreign coach and proper training camps,” Khalil said.

“The camp of Ammar and Abu Huraira was also halted in the middle. Any hindrance in the middle of the preparation period causes great set-back to the whole training,” the official said.

However, he was quick to add that despite all odds he was confident that the pair would deliver on the biggest stage in Poland.

Khalil was also not happy with the way his players’ camp for the Asian Indoor and Martial Games was delayed. “Our discipline is the only one in which Pakistan can win medals in the Asian Indoor and Martial Games but so far our camp has not been started. We needed at least three months training camp,” Khalil said.

The PSB Director General Khial Zad Gul the other day told this correspondent that the camps for the Martial Arts Games would begin from August 1. The event is slated to be hosted by Turkmenistan in its capital Ashgabat from September 17-27.

Khalil said that 12 men and five women players had been finalised by the PJJF for the Ashgabat Games. “We have finalised our squad. We will see where we can win medals. I will not send any player who does not have potential to win a medal,” Khalil said. About POA’s warning to the PJJF regarding withdrawal of an email that created a controversy, Khalil said it had been withdrawn because his federation would not like to put its players in any trouble regarding their participation in National Games to be held in Quetta in October.