KARACHI, Jan 12: Former world champion and president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) Jahangir Khan believes that national squash should be run by professionals to regain past glory.

“Without altering the structure of the game and the mindset of people at the helm of squash affairs, nothing can be achieved,” Jahangir told reporters at the PN Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex during a press briefing on the Parco National Junior Squash on Wednesday.

“I really feel sorry for the state of affairs in the Pakistan Squash Federation and the way it is being run,” he commented. “Without evolving a proper and fair system in national squash and without taking concrete steps at all levels of the game, nothing can be improved,” he said.

“There has been a rapid decline in Pakistan squash and a yawning gap between our standards and the international ones,” he said. “Look at Egypt who have won six of the eight titles at stake in the British Open Junior squash. Where do we stand?” he asked.

Jahangir, who won the British Open for a record ten times, said there was no dearth of talent in Pakistan but the basic factor was that the youngsters needed to be groomed on scientific lines.

He pointed out that the presence of several top players including Qamar Zaman Khan in the PSF failed to bring any change for squash in the country. “And Jansher Khan joining hands with the PSF will make no difference either.”

Responding to a match-fixing controversy, Jahangir disclosed that he was once offered 1-100 odds to lose a match. “I had dominated the game for five and a half years at one time and could have easily indulged in such activities, but my conscience did not allow me to,” he recalled.

Commenting about his role in bringing international squash back to Pakistan, he said it was the duty of the PSF to convince foreign players to visit Pakistan and feature in the events.

He praised the contribution of Pakistan Navy in the promotion and development of squash and said his late father Roshan Khan as well he himself had played most of their squash at the fleet club.—APP