KARACHI, Oct 16: Pakistan’s Asghar Valika was for the first time elected unopposed as vice president of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) for a two-year term as no other candidate filed nomination for the post.

In addition, the incumbent IBSF president Pascal Guillaume of France was also re-elected unopposed on the same post.

The biennial elections of the world governing body of sport are to take place in the annual general meeting during the IBSF World Snooker Championship which is being held in Linz, Austria, from Oct 27 to Oct 8.

“I am indebted to president of the Asian Confederation of Billiards Sports (ACBS), Sindhu Pulsirivong, who played a pivotal role by strongly backing my candidature aimed at having Asian representation in the world body,” Valika, who has served as adviser in the IBSF while at the helm of ABSF from 1994 to 2000, told Dawn on Thursday.

Valika said he was not expecting to get elected unopposed but his global contribution to the sport paved the way in smooth sailing.

“My first priority is to get the IBSF members nod in the coming electoral meeting for staging the inaugural IBSF World Team Snooker Championship at Dubai next year,” said Valika who is also adviser on snooker to the UAE government.

To a query he said the rules and regulations of the proposed event are to be framed and added that every team will consist of three players. Presently, a player is honoured for winning the world title but in the proposed world team championship it would be the country.

Valika, who is also executive vice president, ACBS, said UAE has sufficient funds and are eager to host the event after successfully staging the Asian meet this year.

With no money in its kitty in the absence of a regular sponsor since long, the Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) are facing difficulty in sending the team to Austria. “How can the game prosper without sponsorship,” Valika, who has recently stepped down from the post of PBSA president after two decades, questioned.

He disclosed the PBSA’s annual expenses comes to some Rs4 to Rs5 million which includes participation in Asian and world championships besides at least in one international event, hosting four national ranking tournaments, a junior national and meting office expenses.