Shah insists on competing in -90kg category

KARACHI: Two-time Olympian judoka Shah Hussain has given his mind to the Pakistan's judo authorities that he would only play in the -90 kilogramme in future events.

“Yes he has told us that he will play only in -90kg. He told us if he is forced to switch over to any other weight then he will not play,” a source privy to the development told 'The News'.

Pakistan Judo Federation's (PJF) think tanks held a meeting with Shah in Islamabad on Saturday. The meeting, according to a source, was held in a cordial atmosphere and was also attended by the Iranian coach Sajjad Kazmi. The source said that the PJF will not force Shah to change his weight category.

“He is a highly experienced fighter and the PJF cannot force him to change his weight,” the source said.

The source said Qaisar Afridi did not attend the meeting due to his domestic issue. The source said if Qaisar also does not want to play in -100kg then both would be fielded in -90kg in the forthcoming Olympic qualifiers.

The issue is that both fighters want to play at -90 kg. And if it happens, then it will minimise Pakistan's chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Shah is yet to start his rankings in -90 kg as he has not yet featured in any event which comes under the preview of the International Judo Federation (IJF).

Although he recently featured in the Commonwealth Games and Islamic Games, it has nothing to do with the IJF international rankings.

The judo think-tanks are worried that it would not be easy for Shah to even claim an Olympic seat through the continental quota if he plays in -90kg. They say that his ranking already has been made in -100kg and his father Hussain Shah also wants him to continue in the same weight but Shah Hussain is not willing to change his decision of playing in -90kg.

The PJF sources say that if both play in the same weight then both may also face each other in international events and it will then be an issue.

However, Shah's father Hussain Shah has told a PJF official that he would try to convince Shah Hussain to reconsider his decision.

Shah has played in -100kg during his entire career and only after Tokyo Olympics he decided to come down to -90kg in which he finished with a bronze in the Commonwealth Games in England recently.

In the Islamic Games, he lost his opening fight against an Iranian. Qaisar, on the other hand, is young and he had to shift to -100 kg when Shah had decided to feature in -90 kg after the Tokyo Games.

The 2024 Paris Olympics judo qualifiers have already begun. And national fighters are aiming to feature in the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam in October which also acts as qualifiers.