0
ISLAMABAD: Karamat Butt and Zafar Iqbal silver medalists in the 2010 South Asian Games are still waiting for their cash prize along with other champions.
Both the players told APP that Rs 300,000 each for the winners of gold, Rs 200,000 each for the winners of silver and Rs 100,000 each for winners of bronze was announced.
They said that despite passage of more than a year, they have not been given the prize money yet to their disappointment.
Butt said the Pakistan judo team was the only team bringing the best results as compared to other games. He quoted the example of Naseem Hameed who received the prize money for winning a gold medal.
“The thing is that if the government had announced any prize money, then it should be given as soon as possible.”
When asked if their respective departments provide them with any assistance in this regard, he replied that, according to his knowledge, it is a matter beyond the domain of their departments and the matter can only be resolved through the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).
Later, expressing their views on the upcoming event, Butt and and Iqbal said that they have been practicing for the Asian Judo Championship 2011. They will leave Islamabad for Abu Dhabi on Sunday, April 3.
“It is a big event but we are confident of scoring an appreciable position for the country.
“Only five players of different weight categories are participating as our officials fully concentrated on quality instead of quantity.
“There is only one player in the squad who is going to participate in any international event for the first time.”
Iqbal, who had won a silver medal in the 2010 South Asian Games will participate in the -60 Kg event while Butt, who bagged three silver medals in different international events and one silver medal in the 2010 South Asian Games will participate in the -73 Kg discipline.
Other members of the contingent include Zeeshan Butt, who has been a gold medalist at the National Games for the past 12 years, is representing the Pakistan in the -81 Kg category. Ghazanfar Mori, a silver medalist at the 2006 SAFF Games is participating in open weight. Pervaiz Khan, a gold and silver medalist is participating in the -100 Kg event.
