MANCHESTER, England, July 22: Pakistan squash player Carla Khan has been given the all-clear to represent her adopted country at the Commonwealth Games after an eligbility ruling.

The English-born 20-year-old, one of the youngest descendants of Pakistan’s famous squash-playing Khan dynasty, will now be free to play at the games which start Thursday.

Carla is the grand-daughter of the legendary Azam Khan, four-times British Open champion from 1959 to 1962.

She represented England as a junior in 1997, but switched her allegiance last year to become the Pakistan national champion.

Initially uncertain about Carla’s eligibility, the Manchester 2002 organisers sought clarification from the Commonwealth Games Federation - who have ruled she can play for Pakistan.

“She was always eligible in our view,” said CGF spokesman Mike Hooper.

Carla is expected to join her male team-mates in the Athletes’ Village in Manchester within the next 48 hours, and will make her Games debut in the women’s singles event which begins Friday.—AFP