Pakistan’s participation in Asian Youth Beach Handball uncertain

KARACHI: A cloud of uncertainty is hovering over Pakistan’s participation in the 2nd Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship which will be held in Pattaya, Thailand, from March 20-29.

This correspondent has learnt through credible sources that the IPC minister had promised last year that the government would back Pakistan Handball Federation (PHF) in meeting the expenses of air-fare of the national youth team for featuring in the continental beach event.

The event at that time was scheduled to be held at Bangkok from February 14-21, 2021, but Thailand’s handball authorities expressed their inability to host the event due to Covid-19 situation. Then it was decided by the Asian Handball Federation (AHF) to hold it in Doha from April 2-9, 2021, but again it was postponed.

After rescheduling of the event in Pattaya, PHF again approached the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) last month for financial assistance and NOC but so far no response has been received from the Board.

According to sources, in case no financial assistance is received and PHF withdraws its team’s entry after draws, which may be held anytime now, it will face a huge penalty.

Sources said if the government replies to the PHF in time it will help the federation decide its team’s participation in the continental event. The 13-man party, ten players and three officials, will have to stay in Pattaya for 12 days. The expenses of one person is 150 dollars a night. However, Asian Handball Federation (AHF) has reduced stay expenses by bringing it to 100 US dollars a night for all the third world nations while the rest will give full fee.

It has also been learnt that the federation can only hold a camp for the event once it receives the PSB’s response on the matter.

Pakistan last time won bronze medal in the Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship and qualified for the World Championship in which they finished ninth.

A senior official of the PHF told ‘The News’ that they need government support. “I am sure we will be able to qualify for the World Championship. If we don’t we will give the amount back to the government,” the official said.

It has been learnt that during the last three years PHF got only Rs1 million grant from the PSB.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the PHF may have to postpone the Commonwealth Beach Handball Championship which it planned for February 24-27 at Faisalabad.