The World Squash Federation on Friday announced that “no evidence” was found to support Egypt’s claims regarding Pakistan World Junior Squash champion Hamza Khan’s age and gave a clean chit to the athlete.

Pakistan’s Hamza Khan won the World Junior Squash Championship 2023 on June 23 after beating Egypt’s Mohamed Zakaria, becoming the country’s first champion since 1986.

Hamza beat Zakaria 3-1 during the tournament that was held in Melbourne, Australia.

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However, the Egyptian Squash Federation on July 27 alleged that Khan’s age was different from the one on his passport and requested the WSF to investigate the matter.

In a statement issued on their website today, the WSF said: “After the Egyptian Squash Federation request, the WSF began extensive consultation with experts, including the WSF Medical Commission and the International Olympic Committee.

“This consultation found no evidence that the age of 2023 WSF World Junior Squash Champion Hamza Khan of Pakistan is different to the one listed on his official passport.”

The WSF, the statement continued, had been advised that “there is no medically recognised procedure that can measure an individual’s age without a significant margin of error”.

It further noted that Khan competed in official international junior events for a number of years and had the same date of birth registered on every occasion.

The WSF added that the Egyptian Squash Federation and the Pakistan Squash Federation had been informed about the investigation’s outcome and the matter was considered closed now.

Speaking to Dawn.com later, Hamza said he was glad that the matter was cleared up and added that he was focusing on an upcoming senior tournament in London, which was set to begin on November 15.

“I have always believed in myself, this was supposed to happen one day and, God willingly, it has happened,” Hamza said.

When asked about the WSF statement, Hamza said he had been playing international squash for about five years and was sure that the federation would clear him.

“Questions regarding my age, if they had any, should have been raised before the tournament began and not after I went and won it for Pakistan,” he added.

He also said he would like to thank Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu for his “constant help and support”.

Hamza Khan’s journey

Peshawar boy Hamza has a strong squash pedigree. The former World No 14 Shahid Zaman is his maternal uncle and the legendary Qamar Zaman happens to be a close relative. Zaman’s late wife was the sister of Hamza’s father.

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Talking to Eos in 2020 about his early journey, Hamza gave credit to his father Niazullah.

“My father had represented Islamia College and Peshawar University in inter-college and inter-university sports. He used to take me to the Hashim Khan Squash Complex where he would coach me. I usually practised for half an hour like the other visitors there. Then, I appeared in the U-11 trials for the PAF Academy Peshawar, which took place at the same complex. I defeated all the other seven boys, including the then Pakistan U-11 champion, and got selected,” Hamza said.

From there onwards, squash became an integral part of the young man’s life. “We used to undergo intense physical training under an instructor in the mornings. Then after school it was back to the academy again, and from 2pm to 6pm it was all training and practice matches,” he said.

And then success arrived in the very first competitive venture. “When I won the Chief of Air Staff U-11 in 2016, I was called by the Pakistan Squash Federation [PSF] for training in Islamabad,” he said.

During the interview, Hamza said that his ultimate goal was to win major titles. “My ultimate goal is to bring back the big titles, the British Open and the World Open, to Pakistan,” he said.