KARACHI: Disheartened by the situation back home, Pakistan’s top judoka Qaisar Khan Afridi has settled in England with the aim to represent England in international circuit in future.
The country’s premier fighter says that he wants to represent England in future.
“I played for Pakistan for ten years but what did I get?” Qaisar said while talking to ‘The News’ from London on Sunday.
“Judo is my passion. I represented Pakistan in major events and performed well but the miserable situation back home forced me to come here and initiate working for a fresh career in the sport.
“My target is big. I want to win Olympics medal and it was not possible in Pakistan. I spent Rs800,000 from my own pocket and featured in the Olympic qualifiers in Abu Dhabi, Perth and Baku last year. I borrowed that money. Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had committed that this amount which I spent on these events would be reimbursed to me but it did not happen. That forced me to leave for England.”
Qaiser also revealed that he has joined Defence Judo Academy in London.
“The PJF wanted to send me to Portugal and another country for the Olympic Qualifiers but how could I do that? I had no money. Being a professional I could not feature in the Olympic Qualifiers without the desired training,” he said.
“I left Pakistan for England at the end of last December and have joined the Defence Judo Academy in London. Besides playing judo I am also working at a business mall here as London is a very expensive city and athletes also have to do jobs.
“I have been given accommodation by my academy,” Qaisar was quick to add.
Last year, Qaisar featured in the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Qualifiers in Mongolia, Abu Dhabi, Perth and Baku and was associated with local department WAPDA.
“I used to get around Rs65,000 from WAPDA but you know this amount could not even meet my juices expenses,” he said.
When approached, the vice-president of PJF Masood Ahmed told 'The News' that what Qaisar says is right.
“Yes, Qaisar is right,” Masood said. “The Olympic Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi, Perth and Baku last year were very crucial. We wrote to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for financial support and the NOC and the Board told us that we would be supported. The then DG PSB Col Asif Zaman made a commitment not only with the PJF but with the athletes also. Qaisar also held meeting with Asif and the latter pledged support.
“We needed a handsome amount for these three events. Before these three events our three fighters had featured in the Mongolia Qualifiers on which we spent Rs2.4 million. The then DG PSB gave us just Rs1 million.
“In order to ensure our fighters’ participation in these three events we decided to get tickets from our travel agent on loan and we got them. And we also decided at the same time that the accommodation and diet expenses for these three events would be met by the fighters themselves and this amount would be reimbursed to them when PSB would give money to the PJF.
“It's on record that the PSB only a week ago released Rs3 million to the PJF. We had to pay Rs3.2 million to the travel agent from whom we purchased the air tickets and we paid that amount to him. The amount of the fighters is yet pending and Qaisar is justified in his claims. When we get the remaining amount, we will pay to all fighters and the PJF officials who spent from their pockets. The PSB has yet to pay to us Rs3.9 million.”
Alam Zeb Safi Alam Zeb Safi is a senior reporter for The News