Pakistan has lost another national hero as Judoka Qaisar Khan Afridi has migrated to England in search of a better life.
Disillusioned by the treatment back home and the abject condition of the Pakistan Judo Federation, Qaisar has decided to not only leave the country but change his allegiance to England in order to increase his chances of pursuing his dream of taking part in the Olympics.
The 21-year-old has been representing Pakistan since 2016 and once held the dream of waving the country’s green and white flag on the grandest stage.
He took part in Olympic Qualifiers in Mongolia, Abu Dhabi, Perth and Baku bearing all the expenses himself but fell short of his target. Qaisar has also represented Pakistan in the Commonwealth Games, the Islamic Solidarity Games and the South Asian Games.
Losing Qaisar Khan to England comes as a serious blow to Pakistan as the 21-year-old was considered no2 in the country behind Shah Hussain Shah with a bright future ahead of him.
Unoftunaltey for Athletes of niche sports such as Judo, this reality has become far too common.
With little to no support from their federations due to an economic crunch, many athletes are forced to seek refuge in other countries in order to pursue their dreams.
Qaisar is not the first and he will sadly not be the last either.
