ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: Ten top-ranking national snooker players have revolted against Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) boycotting the 17th National Ranking Snooker Championship and demanding high prize money and jobs.
The championship, carrying a purse of Rs120,000, was scheduled to be played at the snooker hall of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Wednesday.
“We are not demanding any thing illegal. We are merely requesting the federation to give us our rights,” said the national snooker champion Shahram Changezi.
He further added: “We have won international events for the country but even players like me are jobless.”
The players were also barred by PSB to hold a press conference at the media centre.
Former world amateur champion and twice Asian champion Mohammad Yousuf also questioned the double standards of the PBSA for failing to provide the national players the much-needed financial perks and good jobs.
“Sports has changed a lot. It now involves more money and sponsorship but both of these important aspects were being ignored by the PBSA,” Yousuf said.
Players also held negotiations with the PBSA officials but it resulted in failure.
PBSA official Alamgir A. Sheikh after the failed negotiations informed the media that the national ranking tournament will continue as per schedule and the boycott will not hamper the championship.
“It is not the federation’s responsibility to provide jobs and other financial perks to the players as their demands were concerned with the sports board and the ministry,” he concluded.
However, a PBSA press release said a joint meeting was held at the PSB snooker hall between the boycotting players who refused to play the tournament and the PBSA official Alamgir and Abdul Wahid Qadir along with Syed Habib Shah — Director National Federations PSB.
The problems and demands of the players were discussed at length. Players demanded jobs on sports basis. The PSB official gave them assurance that a sports task force had been formed and this proposal is already in the pipeline with the Sports Ministry working on it.
The statement added after much deliberation and assurances by PBSA and PSB officials the players were requested to participate in the tournament but they refused to play.
The PSB and PBSA have decided to carry on with the tournament with remaining players.
Following are the players with national ranking who boycotted the 17th National Ranking Championship:
Shahram Changezi (1), Mohammad Sajjad (2), Imtiaz Sarwer (4), Imran Shehzad (5), Raees Khan (6), Atif Mughal (9), Mohammad Asif (13), Mohammad Asif Toba (14), Qadeer Butt (16), Sohail Shehzad.