Pak efforts give bridge recognition in Saudi Arabia

LAHORE: Pakistan’s efforts got the game of cards, bridge recognition in Saudi Arabia and their team will from now on be taking part in Asian tournaments.National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia recently recognised Bridge as a sport and Bridge Committee of its subsidiary Saudi Arabian Federation for Electronic and Intellectual Sports (SAFEIS) on its request was affiliated with World Bridge Federation (WBF) and Bridge Federation of Asia and Middle East (BFAME) as a member National Bridge Organization (NBO). Saudi Arabian representative teams will be participating in Asian Games in Jakarta in August this year as well as in World Bridge Championship in Orlando, USA in September 2018.

This landmark development resulted from a visit last month to Riyadh by Mazhar Jafri WBF Senior Vice President from Pakistan and his successful meetings with Saudi Arabian sports authorities including NOC and SAFEIS President Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud. This epoch making achievement will not only bolster promotion and development of the Intellectual sport of Bridge in Saudi Arabia and in other countries of the Middle East and West Asia but it will also boost the image of Saudi Arabia as a moderate Islamic state in consonance with dynamic policies of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

While, bridge organizations in the Asia, Middle East and West Asia countries have profusely acclaimed this momentous achievement by WBF through painstaking efforts of Mazhar Jafri, Pakistan Bridge Federation (PBF) President Javed Khalid and Honorary Secretary Ihsan Qadir have sent their messages of appreciation and congratulations to him.