ISLAMABAD: Punjab Badminton Association (PBA) on Tuesday said associations of four provinces have not sent their players to participate in the Badminton Championship underway at Rodham Hall as they do not recognize the badminton federation orgainsing this event.

Talking to APP, PBA secretary, Tayyab Sohail, said badminton associations duly elected and recognised by their Olympic Associations and Sports Boards have not sent their teams to Islamabad for this championship as they do not recognize Imtiaz Gill's badminton federation as it is unconstitutional.

Tayyab further said that the event was organized without involving the PBA.

“It was Pakistan Sports Board's duty to see that its premises are not used for organising a bogus event which is also being labeled as National Badminton Championship,” he said.

He also said that Wapda and National Bank of Pakistan are two departments who are employing most of the top players of the country.

“These two departments should have verified the authenticity of this federation before sending their teams here,” he said.

Tayyab said that the genuine badminton federation along with the support of 11 out of 12 affiliated units will take away the status of National Badminton Championship from this event and will organize their own National Championship very soon.

When contacted, Gill said all national and top players of the country are participating in the said championship.

“If this championship would have been fake then no top player would have participated in this event,” he said.

Gill claimed that they held the PBA's elections on May 18 in which Nadeem Aftab Sundo (president) and Amir Islam (secretary) were elected unanimously.