Pakistan soft tennis contingent suffers 6-0 whitewash at Asian Games amid “self-finance” controversy
Pakistan soft tennis contingent suffers 6-0 whitewash at Asian Games amid “self-finance” controversy
By Nawaz Gohar ; The “self-finance facilitation” policy enacted by the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has produced its first major setback, as Pakistan’s soft tennis team suffered a humiliating 6-0 whitewash at the Asian Games in Japan.
The 14-member contingent, sent under the POA’s delegation framework, crashed out in the very first round without scoring a single point in their matchups against Cambodia, the Philippines, and host nation Japan.
Critics allege that the POA leadership—under President Arif Saeed and Secretary Khalid Mahmood—in collusion with the PSB, approved the participation of teams for obscure sports with virtually no domestic foundation or competitive structure in Pakistan to favor select federations and voting allies.
Inside sources warn that further poor results may follow from the Asian Games, as the POA approved an extensive list of self-financed entries for the event in Japan.
