World Junior Team champions Pakistan celebrate after beating Egypt in the final. Israel Ahmed is second left and Abbas Shoukat is on the right
WSF to investigate claims that winning juniors are 20 years old
By Alan Thatcher, Squash Mad Editor
The World Squash Federation are investigating claims that Pakistan fielded two over-age players while winning the recent World Junior Team Championship in Poland. Israr Ahmed, who beat Egypt’s number one Saadeldin Abouaish in straight games in the final, is understood to be 20 years old, as is victorious team-mate Abbas Shoukat.
Reports in 2013 confirmed that Israr and Shoukat were playing in under-17 tournaments while over-age but this practice appears to have continued unchecked by any of the national, regional or global authorities.
One source in Pakistan claimed today that the fault lies with corrupt officials, who have little or no background in squash. He said: “They are continuing to flout the rules in the hope of gaining international success at junior level because there is such a huge void at senior level.
“It’s all a game to show titles. They can’t win PSA titles, so they try to show junior success instead, claiming the glory for themselves.
“I feel there is a huge lack of honesty and sincerity to the sport when it comes to these high ranking officials. The players are just told what to do.
“I won’t be surprised if it’s true. But again I feel those who took these players to Poland, knowing they were over-age, need to be held responsible. Players like Israr Ahmed on his own can’t do anything.
“The opposing teams need to take this up very seriously. Several parents backed down at the British Open Juniors one year because the organisers did not want to get their hands dirty… this time the authorities need to take action. It’s pretty obvious it’s happening.
“It’s about time these things are seriously dealt with. Qamar Zaman has always been ‘vocal’ on the overage issue since his own son Mansoor and his nephew Shahid left the juniors yet he travelled with the team this time. He should have been aware that Israr was not allowed to play locally.”
Squash Mad published this report in June 2013, which clearly shows that the Asian Squash Federation were asking questions about the same group of players who were then competing illegally in under-17 competitions.
The report revealed wholesale cheating, as follows: “The PSF conducted age scrutiny of almost all junior players of the country in three phases: first in June last year at Islamabad, where 14 players of under-11 category were found over-age; 18 players for under-13; 22 players were over-age in under-15 category; 34 in under-17; and 31 in under-19.”
Both Israr and Abbas Shauqat were among those considered over-age for this category (under 17) by the PSF.
Our Pakistan contact commented: “So according to this, they were minimum 17 in June 2013. That makes them both minimum 20 now. This also shows that the PSF have continued to openly cheat all this time and that the Asian Federation, and the WSF, have allowed them to get away with it while all this information has been in the public domain.”
The WSF have confirmed that the subject was raised by opposing teams during the tournament in Bielsko Biala, where former squash powerhouse Pakistan won their first title since 2008.
Media reports have come to light which reveal that the Pakistan Squash Federation bans over-age players from competing in domestic events but knowingly selects them for international competition.
Pakistan hold a reception for the junior squad whose result is under investigation
The WSF Chief Executive Andrew Shelley has written to the Pakistani Federation and Asian Squash Federation seeking to clarify the situation and has given permission for Squash Mad to publish his correspondence:
“It must be accepted by the Pakistan Squash Federation that there seem
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