ISLAMABAD, May 25: Pakistan volleyball chief Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob said on Wednesday he was becoming increasingly frustrated over a lack of sponsor interest in the game. He told a news conference held to announce the Asian Men’s Club Championship starting in Islamabad next week, that it was becoming quite difficult to attract sponsors.

“The most common question posed to us by the companies is what would they get by supporting volleyball,” Yaqoob said. “We in turn tell them that the matches will be shown on television but that does not seem attractive to them.”

He agreed though that Pakistan needed to attain a certain level before the sponsors “start running after them.”

The Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) however is hopeful to get sponsorship for the June 1-8 championship that will feature club sides from India, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, China and the host nation.

“Everyone wants to support cricket and hockey; I do not grudge that but we need a major one-time grant from the government or any other source so that we can take off and get to the level we want to achieve.”

Having written to the sports minister for an enhancement of grant, Yaqoob hoped that an annual aid of Rs 2.5 million will be quite a boost. “I think we deserve that much because our teams have been performing well.”

The PVF currently gets an annual grant of only Rs 275,000 and some special aid during the course of the year but that money is clearly peanuts. “At least we should have enough to send teams abroad and meet other expenses.”

Meanwhile, Yaqoob was optimistic the hosts would do well in the championship that will kickoff with a match between India and Thailand clubs.

“We will try and finish among the top three and I expect good competitions.”

The organisers have yet to announce the names of the competing clubs, each one of which has to play against the other side in the competition that is to take place at the Liaquat Gymnasium.

Pakistan have also bid to host the 2007 Asian Senior Championship for which Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Iran and China are also in the run.

Two events that have already been allotted to Pakistan are the men’s under-21 World Cup qualifiers in May 2007 and the under-20 Asian Championship in 2008.

A FIVB instructors’ coaching course is also to be held here in September while the PVF has applied for hosting the Level I IOC solidarity coaching course.

Yaqoob said that as part of national team’s preparations for the Sept 22-28 Asian Senior Championship in Bangkok, the spikers are to play in invitational tournaments in Muscat and UAE in July.

Schedule of matches (Asian Men’s Club Championship): Jun 1: India-Thailand (12.00pm), Uzbeskistan-Pakistan-Pak (2.00pm), Iran-China (4.00pm)

Jun 2: Thailand-Uzbeskistan (12.00pm), Kazakhstan-India (2.00pm), Pakistan-Iran (4.00pm)

Jun 3: Uzbekistan-Kazkhstan (12.00pm), Iran-Thailand (2.00pm), China-Pakistan Pak (4.00pm)

Jun 4: India-Uzbeskistan (12.00pm), Kazakhstan-Iran (2.00pm), Thailand-China (4.00pm)

Jun 5: Rest day

Jun 6: Iran-India (12.00pm), China-Kazkhstan (2.00pm), Pakistan-Thailand (4.00pm)

Jun 7: Uzbekistan-Iran (12.00pm), India-China (2.00pm), Kazakhstan-Pakistan -Pak (4.00pm)

June 8: China-Uzbekistan (12.00pm), Thailand-Kazkstan (2.00pm), Pakistan-India (4.00pm)