Dr Sohail delays resignation

LAHORE: PCB’s director medical and sports sciences Dr Sohail Saleem has put his resignation on hold till the completion of Pakistan team’s tour of England.

It has been learnt that Dr Saleem and another top ranked director of PCB had an altercation which made the former decide to resign. But he was dissuaded from doing so by his close associates. The argument was about Dr Saleem’s statement in which he said the tour of England during the coronavirus pandemic is a big risk.

“During the pandemic it’s (the tour) a big risk,” he said in a video conference last month.

“We haven’t experienced (playing during a pandemic), but for both teams it will be a first. The pandemic means risk, but consider them (players) as ... providing people entertainment.”

One of the directors of the PCB said Dr Saleem’s statement before the team’s tour of England was unwanted.

It has been learnt the way the director addressed the doctor was taken by the latter as interference in his work.

It has also been learnt that certain top officials in the PCB also wanted Dr Saleem to step down from his position as some of the other officials were made to resign in the recent past.

Dr Saleem decided to step down when a panel of doctors was assigned to travel with the team for the England tour. But his close friends and some of the officials in the PCB stopped him.

Test cricketer M Hafeez’s coronavirus positive test conducted by PCB which was later declared negative in other tests put the board at the back foot.

The top brass of the PCB assessing the delicacy of the situation played its due role to ease the tension which made the director apologise to the doctor.