PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s Zurkhaneh team makes its debut at a multi-sport event when an eight-member squad participates at the World Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku.

But they were almost set to be without a Pakistan blazer for the 10-day event, Pakistan Zurkhaneh Federation (PZF) secretary-general Arbab Naseer disclosed on the eve of the Games on Thursday as the team prepared to leave for the Azeri capital.

“We’ve had no support at all,” Arbab told reporters. “Had it not been for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Director General Sports Junaid Khan [who arranged for Rs0.1million], we wouldn’t have even had the national blazer.”

Zurkhaneh is a type of wrestling and weightlifting which originated from Iran and Pakistan and although this was the first time the team was taking part in a multi-sport event, it has been featuring internationally since 2005.

“We’ve been taking part in numerous international tournaments for the last decade thanks to support by the World Zurkhaneh Federation (WZF), which will also bear the expenses of our trip to Baku,” informed Arbab, who is also the team manager.

He lamented the lack of support for a sport in which he says Pakistan has “great potential”.

“Both the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) refused to sponsor us,” Arbab said.

“After a hectic meeting with the POA secretary-general Khalid Mehmood, we were handed the accreditation but were refused other facilities on the pretext that Zurkhaneh isn’t affiliated with the POA.

“We have applied for the affiliation to both POA and PSB but that is yet to come. Moreover WZF will also bear the expenses of the POA nominee Zulfiqar Ali Butt, who will travel with the team.”

Pakistan’s team comprises Zakir Ali Khan, Nimatullah Khan, Arbab Sardar, Ahmad Khan, Inayatullah, Hafizullah and Samiullah.

“They have a good amount of international exposure and great potential to do well in Baku,” Arbab said.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2017