Pakistan fail to win any ASF award

KARACHI: Pakistan could not win any Asian Squash Federation (ASF) award in 2017, according to the latest ASF bulletin Squash Pulse.

The bulletin stated that ASF Annual Awards 2017 were meant to honour the effort and achievement of the squash elites in the region. “ASF presents the Coaches Awards and the Performance Awards annually to well-recognised coaches and players, respectively,” it added.

“This year, the ASF Annual Awards have attracted 9 nominees from 6 countries for the four categories of the Coaches Awards, while there are 12 nominations from 4 countries for the four categories of the Performance Awards.

“The Awards Presentation were held during the Farewell Dinner of the 19th Asian Team Championships in Cheongju, Korea.” The Dato Alex Lee Award For Outstanding Performance of the Year (Senior) went to Max Lee (Hong Kong, China) and Joshna Chinappa (India).

Hassan Musa Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year (Junior) went to Velavan Senthilkumar (India) and Satomi Watanabe (Japan). The ASF Award for the Outstanding Team of the Year was won by Hong Kong World Men’s Team 2017 and Malaysia Junior Women’s Team 2017.

Faheem Khan (Hong Kong, China) won the Coach of the Year award, while Andrew Sam Cross (Malaysia) won the Junior Coach of the Year award. Masoud Ghareh Ziaeddini (Iran) won the award for Development Coach of the Year.

Coaches Certificate of Recognition were given to Wong Wai Chung (China), Deepak Mishra (India), and Seyed Mohammadhossein Sanaee (Iran).

Pakistan won Hassan Musa Award in 2015, 2012, 2011, 2006, 2005, 2003, and 2001.

Pakistan won Dato Alex Lee Award in 2003.

Pakistan won the outstanding team award in 2016, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2006, and 2003.

It won ASF Development Award (most improved team) in 2014 and 2012. In the category of awards for coaches, Pakistan won awards in 2009 (Rehmat Khan), 2007 and 2006 (Fahim Gul), and 2004 and 2003 (Rehmat Khan).

“This is a serious situation. Pakistan always dominated Asia but it is very shocking to see that we could not win any award in 2017,” said an official of a provincial association. The official added that this decline showed squash needed immediate support from the authorities.