Pakistan has withdrawn from the 2025 US Open Junior Squash Championship and the 2026 British Open Junior Squash Championship, officials confirmed, in protest against decisions by the tournaments’ organizers.
According to informed sources, the Pakistan Squash Federation decided not to participate after organizers questioned the age eligibility of several Pakistani players and reclassified their categories. The US Open Junior Championship was scheduled from December 20 to 23 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, while the centenary British Open Junior Championship is set to take place in Birmingham from January 2 to 6, 2026.
Sources said that under the organizers’ decisions, players such as Raheel Victor were moved from the Under-19 boys’ category to Under-13, Muhammad Ali Rajas from Under-13 to Under-15, Nauman Khan and Ahmed Rayan Khan from Under-15 to Under-17, and Azaan Ali Khan, Muhammad Umair Arif, and Ubaidullah from Under-17 to Under-19. Similarly, multiple female players, including Mahnoor Ali of Peshawar, were shifted from Girls Under-13 to Girls Under-15. Other junior players like Abdullah Nawaz and Muhammad Yahya Khan also had their categories altered.
Many Pakistani players had already arrived in the United States for the US Open Junior and were actively training, while others were scheduled to depart on Thursday. The changes prompted serious concern within Pakistan’s squash community, especially as the country had high expectations for strong performances, similar to the previous year.
The Pakistan Squash Federation’s withdrawal is a protest against what it sees as unfair treatment of its junior players by event organizers, despite approvals from the World Squash Federation and European Squash Federation for the category changes.
