Fixing in sports not a new phenomena: Jahangir Khan

Former world squash champion Jahangir Khan of Pakistan has claimed that fixing of matches is not a new phenomena in any sport and he was also approached several times by the bookies during his career to throw away matches.

"Several times I was contacted by the bookmakers when I was at the peak of my career and was winning matches," Jahangir told the media in here.

"They offered me huge amounts of money, which could be considered very good at that time because the prize money in squash was not very lucrative in those days. They wanted me to lose matches but every time I told them to get lost," Jahangir added.

The former 10-time British Open winner and six times World Champion said that his conscience never allowed him to deliberately lose matches or even a single game in his entire career.
"The offers were at their best when I remained unbeaten for five years," he recalled.

"Whatever I am today it is because of my country and my people and I could never even think of letting them down. That is why today when I hear and read about the fixing allegations in cricket and other sports it saddens me."

Jahangir added that the menace of fixing was nothing new in any sport and from time to time he had heard about such things in other countries as well.

"People will always be greedy," said Jahangir.

Meanwhile, he applauded the induction of his biggest rival and former champion Jansher Khan in the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) but said it would not have any impact on the sport in the country.

"It will bring about no changes because in Pakistan there is a need to work selflessly for squash as individuals and it is not necessary to get positions in the federation."

Jahangir said that the pinnacle of success squash had seen in the time of former PSF President, Air Marshal Nur Khan is unprecedented because he took very good care of the players and treated champions like champions. 

Jahangir Khan wants Pakistan squash to be run by professionals

Former World Champion and President of World Squash Federation (WSF) Jahanagir Khan believed that national squash should run by the professionals to regain past glory.
“Without changing the structure of and mindset of the people at the realm of affairs of the game, nothing can be changed,” he told reporters at PN Roshan Khan/ Jahangir Khan Squash to unveil the details of Parco National Junior Squash Championship on Wednesday.
Jahangir Khan said he once offered 1-100 to loss a match. “I was dominating squash for five and half year at one time and could have easily indulged in such activities. But my conscience did not accepted it,” he recalled.

Jahangir slams PSF a shame

Pakistan's squash authorities are mulling concrete plans to revive the sport in the country but have so far failed to garner the support of the world's greatest squash legend -- Jahangir Khan.

Jahangir, a record ten-time British Open champion and the most successful squash player in history, has declined an offer made by the Pakistan Squash federation (PSF) to join them, saying that he cannot work in a set-up where irrelevant people hold key posts.

However, another former world champion Jansher Khan, who will not be given any post, announced his support for the PSF.

'I was offered before Jansher but I declined,' Jahangir says.

'I cannot work under a set-up where officials with no background are at the helm of running squash affairs.'

A former president of the World Squash federation (WSF), Jahangir said he tried to work with the federation several times but failed to give his best.

'I have high regard for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officials but they are not a suitable choice to run the game,' he said referring to the fact that Pakistan squash is run by PAF.

Jahangir was also highly critical of the way the federation's officials changed every three years after which a new body had to start from scratch.

'Every three years there is a new president and secretary and with no background of the game they find it difficult to manage the affairs,' said Jahangir.

'It would be difficult to regain our lost glory in squash given the current circumstances. The authority to run squash affairs should be given to the ones who have served the game in the past.'

The problem of inconsistency and lack of planning has been creating problems for Pakistan in almost every sport whether it is squash, hockey, or the unofficial National game, cricket. The concerned authorities and policy-makers should, at least now, when we see graphs declining in almost every sport, sit together with their pasts facing the other side and work for the greatest common benefit-the revival of sports in Pakistan. It is a shame that a legendary player who has headed an organisation as large as the WSF itself declines to work with the current setup only because of the lack of a well-planned organisational structure.

Pakistan recently won the team squash event of the Guangzhou Asian Games but Jahangir believes that it is not a big feat.

'It is good to win medals but considering our past achievements, it is not a big feat. The players should not get complacent after the gold.'

Pakistan was once the mostly successful nation in the squash world but after the exit of Jahangir and Jansher, it has been overtaken by countries like England, Egypt and Australia