Siyoli terms Pakistan safe for hosting sports events

[Zibago]

Siyoli terms Pakistan safe for hosting sports events
April 06, 2015
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Mohsin Ali


ISLAMABAD - South African top squash player Siyoli Waters termed Pakistan perfect place for all kinds of sporting events and rubbished the so-called security issue and negativity spread around about this beautiful country.

In an interview with The Nation, Siyoli, before her departure for homeland, said: “People talk too much about security issues in Pakistan and tried to scare me, but it was my firm belief, a country which organises sports could not be threat for me or any other international player who wanted to travel to Pakistan.
This country has given legends to squash, and I am honored to visit it.
Frankly speaking, I had never any kinds of doubts about security or any other issues and wanted to visit the birth place of great squash legends Jahanghir and Jansher Khan and others.
I feel very honored and proud that I made the right decision of opting to play in Pakistan, otherwise, I could have missed a wonderful place, wonderful people and hospitality of Pakistanis.
”
“Bahria Town had done tremendous job, and I want to especially thanks Imran Qadir, chief organiser of the Bahria Town International Squash championship, as he was such a wonderful host and always ready to help us.
He remained in constant touch with all of us even when I was in South Africa and assured us best facilities.
I must admit he lived up the expectations well beyond,” she added.
Siyoli was also full of praise for Sitwat Babar, director projects Safari Club, chairperson organising committee and termed her efforts as mile-stone towards promotion of female squash in Pakistan.

When asked about the quality of female squash in Pakistan and how would she rate Pakistan female players, she replied: “I have never played against them, but they are quite good but they really need international exposure.
I would request Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) and other associations to conduct more and more female events in the country as the more they will play, the better results they will produce.
”
She was full of praise for Maria Toor for her brilliant and aggressive play and termed her worthy winner.
“I never played against Maria before, but I watched her videos.
She is technically very strong and play with lot of passion and knows how to baffle her opponents.
I just got trapped in Maria's game plan and forget to play my natural game and just played catch up game.
It was a complete physical and mental contest which I thoroughly enjoyed.
”
When asked about whether she would like to come again to play in Pakistan, she replied with big yes.
“Off course, I would love to come and play in Pakistan.
Hopefully, next time the organisers will further raise the amount and next time, I will grab the title.
I would take lot of good memories with me and cherish those moments, love, respect given to me by the Pakistanis.
I would definitely share my experiences with others and hopefully manage to portray the exact picture of this country.
I find no difference between South Africa and Pakistan, and it was just like playing at our own backyard,” Siyoli concluded.

 

[Zibago]

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@syedali73, @Leader, @DESERT FIGHTER, @Jazzbot, @Spring Onion, @chauvunist,
@Pakistan Shaheen, @karakoram, @syedali73, @rockstar08, @haviZsultan, @Gufi @Muhammad Omar, @graphican, @Gazi, @Donatello, @Hyperion, @Pak_Sher, @Sage,

 

[halfilhal]

A bhai, at least quote someone who is well known. Iska quote to Chris Gayle bhi nahi lega.

 

[Brahma Bull]

Ask sangakkara and jayawardhene

 

[halfilhal]

Siyoli: It was my firm belief, a country which organises sports could not be threat for me or any other international player who wanted to travel to Pakistan.

Hormones much.....

 

[ganesh177]

Now who will term siyoli safe for taking her comments seriously.

 

[Zibago]

Now who will term siyoli safe for taking her comments seriously.

Ap ki bhe mehmaan nawazi ki the ham nay bhool gaye?
SAFF Women’s Championship: India live up to favourites’ tag, make it three titles out of three - The Express Tribune

Ask sangakkara and jayawardhene

Siyoli: It was my firm belief, a country which organises sports could not be threat for me or any other international player who wanted to travel to Pakistan.

Hormones much.....

Now who will term siyoli safe for taking her comments seriously.

Yeah bhe aen thein
SAFF Women’s Championship: Hosts may be out, but all semi-finalists feel at home
By Natasha Raheel
Published: November 18, 2014
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And then there were four: The Saff Championship reaches the knockout stage with the four semifinalists battling it out on Wednesday. Photos: Muhammad Javaid/Express

ISLAMABAD: To Nepal captain Anu and her teammates, Islamabad feels like home away from home. A role model for her side, she believes that with this kind of atmosphere and winning attitude, claiming the South Asian Football Federation (Saff) Women’s Championship title is a definite possibility this time around.

Nepal were finalists in the previous two editions, but lost to India both the times. However, the skipper feels Islamabad can be the ‘the lucky city’ for her team.

“Pakistan feels like home. It really does,” Anu told The Express Tribune. “The weather here is like what we have back home and we can’t seem to get enough of daal. It’s so far my favourite food here. Although we haven’t gone out much, we are quite comfortable. We feel at peace, as if we are home.”

This is Anu’s first trip to Pakistan, but the 27-year-old, hailing from the Raufahat village of Nepal, has been a part-time UN peace-keeping soldier as well.

Even though football helped her land a job with the Nepal Police Force, she says that by just being a footballer, she was a soldier too.

“Football is a passion; I’ve been playing it since I was three. You see, football in Nepal is like what cricket is in Pakistan,” she said. “I got a job in the force because of my talent, but then I learnt combat as well; I know all the drills and I can handle a gun. This has made be stronger.”

She added that prior to the event, she had been in South Africa on a peace-keeping mission for seven months, and had only two days to prepare for Saff. “I came back from the mission and I joined the camp just two days before coming to Pakistan,” she said. “I believe that combat training has given me the sense of aiming higher and filling my stride with goals.”

Even though the Nepal captain has her parents’ blessings now, she said that like other South Asian countries, she had faced the same cultural hindrances.

“My mother supported me from the start, but my father took some time to warm up to the idea,” said Anu. “He likes it now when he sees my picture in the papers.”

Anu, who has six other siblings, believes the social environment in Pakistan and Nepal is similar in terms of values. Thus, it would be worthwhile winning the trophy in Islamabad, a home away from home.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh, the other team to have reached the semi-finals, will be taking on Nepal today.

And just like their opponent’s attitude, Bangladesh’s midfielder Suineupur Marma says she is looking forward to reaching the final with her team, which has improved a lot over time.

According to Suineuper, they have had a nice stay in Pakistan so far, but back home no one talks about the hosts.

“I hadn’t heard anything about Pakistan before coming here,” said Suineupur. “It’s a big country, people are nice, but that’s about it. Of course it’s not like Bangladesh. That is my home, this is another country. However, I can relate to the problems of the female footballers here as they are the same back home. We only got women’s football in Bangladesh in 2008.”

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan captain Hasara Dilrangi said that the situation in her country is a little better than that of the rest of the regions, who play the other semi against India on Wednesday too.

“In Sri Lanka, we are encouraged to play,” said the 23-year-old. “In fact, parents want their daughters to excel in sports. I’ve been a part of all three Saff championships and I’ve seen the regional standards improve drastically. We have more opportunities for women’s football. I play for the Air Force and I can tell that our federation is also working hard to promote the sport.”

Even though the weather does not agree with them, Hasara feels that the hospitality and friendliness of the people here reminds her of home.

Sri Lanka will take on India in the other semi-final.

India

“It’s safe and it’s like home,” says Indu Chaudhry, the Indian team manager, about their stay in Pakistan.

After touring the city yesterday, Indu said it is difficult to find a difference between India and Pakistan.

“The only difference I can say is that there is a border drawn between the two countries, but apart from that, everything, from the food to the weather to the people, is the same.

And, just like the other semi-finalists, the manager said her team was focused on crossing the finishing line at the Saff championship.

 

[ito]

It will take at least another 10 years before any major tournament to come to Pakistan if things start improving from today.

 

[Zibago]

It will take at least another 10 years before any major tournament to come to Pakistan if things start improving from today.

SAFF women football 2014 was a big tournament