Dubai: The UAE’s No 1 squash player Adil Maqbool has vowed to appeal against a 12-month ban issued to him by the UAE Squash Association following an alleged incident of assault on a spectator at a recent tournament.
World No.108, Maqbool, 25, who represents his native Pakistan, won the Dubai A2 Squash Tournament senior individual men’s title at The Lakes leisure centre last month.
However, upon leaving the court he and his father Maqbool Khawaja allegedly assaulted a spectator named Asif Khan, whom they claim had been trying to distract Adil during the final game against compatriot Amir Khan.
As Adil was celebrating the win in Asif’s direction, Asif was alleged to have sworn at Adil and his father prompting a confrontation.
Adil was stripped of his title by the event organisers and the UAE Squash Association has since followed this up with a one-year ban.
Abass Khan, the UAE national team coach and technical advisor at the UAE Squash Association, said: “The ban stands for a period of one year but we will monitor Adil’s behavior and review matters after six months to see if this sanction can be rescinded.
“This is the first such ban handed to a player by the association. Players must know the association will not tolerate such behaviour. Regardless of what problem you may have with someone, you cannot assault them. We will be notifying the Professional Squash Association (PSA) of the ban,” he added.
Adil, who doesn’t deny the confrontation but claims to have witnesses to the spectator’s provocation, said: “I am very disappointed at how things have been handled by the event’s organisation and how they have blown things out of proportion. They have presented a very biased report and I will appeal against the ban. I am confident that once my side of the story is heard, the respected UAE Squash Association will consider my appeal and make an informed decision.”
“In my 17-year-old international career, which began at the age of eight, I have never had a single incident of misconduct levelled against me and I am renowned globally for being a true gentleman both on and off the court as several awards for player of the tournament and sportmanship can attest,” he added.
Asif Khan, the spectator and fellow player-turned-coach, who allegedly provoked and swore at Adil and his father and was himself allegedly assaulted, denied accusations against him. “I didn’t react to the assault because my students were present and I was concerned about the example it would have set. I also didn’t contact the police to report the incident – despite the support of witnesses – because I was worried the incident would have a negative effect on squash.
“I don’t recall any previous ill-feeling between me and Adil. And I neither swore at him nor clapped when he was losing in previous games. If a player feels a spectator is trying to distract him, he can ask the organiser to remove the spectator from the premises — it’s in the rules.”
Both parties have accused each other of professional jealousy, with Adil’s father and Asif pitting their coaching students against each other in regular competition.
