Wrestlers miss Canada Cup due to non-issuance of visas

KARACHI: National wrestlers were deprived of featuring in the Canada Cup as they were not issued visas for the event which began in Guelph on Saturday.

“No, visas have not been issued as yet,” a senior official of Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) told ‘The News’ on Saturday.

“The Canadian embassy has not returned the passports so our wrestlers will not be able to take part in the competitions as the event has already started,” the official said.

The country’s leading wrestlers, also including the premier grappler Mohammad Inam, had aimed to opt for the competitions in Canada in order to prepare for the 18th Asian Games slated to be held from August 18 to September 2.

A company had sponsored the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist for the tour.

To a question, the PWF official said that they were still waiting for the response of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) regarding their request of a foreign tour for the wrestlers.

The PWF has requested the PSB for a tour of Ukraine for their wrestlers ahead of the Asiad in which Pakistan is expected to field five wrestlers.

Regarding Inam, the official said that he had been working hard at home. “He has told me that if he did not get any tour he would still work hard at home and perform for the country in the Asian Games,” the official said.

Around 400-member contingent of Pakistan will feature in 36 disciplines in the Asian Games which will be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.