LAHORE, Aug 19: Pakistan badminton team’s participation in the 14th Asian Games to be held in Busan, South Korea is under cloud due to tussle between two groups claiming for the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) leadership.

One group headed by Mohib Asad has been elected through elections conducted by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) under the new sports policy. However, the elected body is yet to be affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

The secretary of another group Sarfraz Ahmad whose body has the affiliation with the POA prior to the elections has challenged the elections in court. To pick the team for the Asian Games, the two-day trials started at the New Khan Sports Board court Sunday under the the federation headed by Mohib Asad. All top ranked players including Wajid Ali, Aamir Islam, Waqas Ahmad, Ahsan Qamar, Zafar Tasnim and Ali Yar Beg reported for the trials. Besides them about eight non-ranking players also reported for the trials.

Mohib group secretary Aamir Hayat Khan Rokari told Dawn that although his group had yet to get the affiliation of the POA, but the trials were being held on the instructions of the PSB.

He said that the PSB had advised him to pick a four-member male team for the Asiad and did not allow the participation of any female due to their bad performance in the Commonwealth Games.

National champion Asma Butt was the lone girl who took part in the Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, UK in July-Aug this year.

She won only one match against a Jamaican rival. Top seed Wajid was also the lone male entry from Pakistan in the Games. He won three matches before losing to New Zealand’s rival in the fourth match 3-1.

When contacted the POA secretary Muhammad Latif Butt ruled out the chances of badminton team’s participation in the Games, adding since the case to decide the genuineness of any of the body was pending before a civil court no team of this sport would be allowed to represent the country in the Games.