Hamza Khan cleared by WSF in age controversy

KARACHI: Pakistan’s World Junior Squash champion Hamza Khan has been cleared of age-related concerns by the World Squash Federation (WSF) following questions raised by Egypt regarding the player’s age.

According to media reports, the WSF on Friday confirmed that its investigation found no evidence to suggest any discrepancy between Khan’s age and the one mentioned on his official passport.

Hamza Khan emerged victorious in the World Junior title in 2023 by defeating Egypt’s Muhammad Zakarya in the final match.

Following Hamza’s triumph, the Egypt Squash Federation raised doubts about the player’s age and requested the WSF to initiate an inquiry into the matter.

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“The WSF conducted an extensive consultation with experts, including the WSF Medical Commission and the International Olympic Committee, in response to the request from the Egyptian Squash Federation,” the statement said.

The reports said that the outcome of the consultation confirmed that there was no considerable evidence specifying a difference between Khan’s age and the one officially recorded on his passport.

Meanwhile, the WSF’s statement also noted that Hamza Khan has consistently participated in official international junior events over several years, consistently utilising the same date of birth on every occasion.

Furthermore, the WSF also highlighted that there was no recognised medical procedure capable of determining an individual’s age with absolute precision.

The WSF further shared the investigation results with both the Egyptian Squash Federation and the Pakistan Squash Federation, thereby concluding the matter.