2020 Olympic Games: PKF seeks IOC’s support to train fighters

KARACHI: The Pakistan Karate Federation (PKF) is waiting for the response to its request filed with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) about training of its athletes in connection with preparations for the 2020 Olympics qualifiers.
“We have filed a request with the POA and it has already sent it to the IOC,” PKF chairman Mohammad Jehangir told ‘The News’ in an interview on Wednesday. “The IOC will now forward it to the World Karate Federation (WKF) and I am hopeful that under the scheme of Olympic Solidarity a couple of our fighters will be able to train abroad for the Olympics qualifiers,” he added.
This is the first time that karate will be part of the Olympics. Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympics.Pakistan’s seasoned karateka Saadi Abbas (75kg) and Naseer Ahmed (67) will benefit from the project if finalised.
“Saadi and Naseer are our best players,” Jehangir said and added that he had also talked to the WKF chief and hopefully Pakistan’s case would be approved. “I had met the WKF president in October on the sideline of the world body’s Congress in Spain and he told me that he would recommend when the IOC would send it to him,” the official said.
Jehangir said if the request was acceded to the PKF would decide about where they should get training.He said if quality training was given to Saadi he could qualify for the 2020 Games. “He is a seasoned campaigner and in great form. In Dubai Premier League recently, he finished fifth, having lost in the quarter-finals. It was a big event as 155 fighters from across the world had participated in it,” Jehangir said.
Saadi has won several international medals for the country during his illustrious career. He has been groomed in Dubai where he was permanently settled with his family. He has to his credit two gold medals in the Commonwealth Championship and a gold in the US Open.
Recently, Saadi in a video message requested government support in his bid to qualify for Olympics.Naseer Ahmed Mengal is also a fine player, having won gold in the 12th South Asian Games in India last year.
Judoka Shah Hussain is the only player to have represented Pakistan in Olympics in martial arts — he appeared in the 2016 Rio Games. Jehangir said that it was just the start as karate had recently become part of Olympics. “Once the process begins we will know the exact situation and will then plan accordingly,” the official said.
He said that there was no move from the government to back these athletes for Olympics. He also revealed that an IOC coaching course would be held at Lahore from December 19-24.The course, which will be attended by 35 coaches, will be conducted by international instructor Antonio Oliva from Spain.