The 9th National Cycling Championship, currently underway in Islamabad from February 20 to 23, has come under scrutiny following two formal complaints lodged by the Bikestan Cycling Academy. The complaints, submitted to the Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF), highlight irregularities in the Women Elite Road Race and serious safety concerns during the event.
The letter detailed that the race was initially set to include only four participants in the Women Elite category. However, an entry had been made in the newly introduced Women Masters category. ProPakistani confirmed that the cyclist was not acknowledged as a competitor during the race.
The academy made some other allegations against some riders, however, ProPakistani confirmed that those claims were incorrect as well.
In a separate complaint, the Bikestan Cycling Academy criticized the event’s overall arrangements, citing “highly unsafe conditions” for participants. The letter pointed out the absence of traffic control and road closures, with vehicles moving freely alongside cyclists during the race.
“The roads were not closed or controlled, leading to vehicles moving freely alongside the riders. This created an extremely dangerous situation,” the complaint stated. The academy also noted the lack of marshals or officials to manage the route, describing the event as chaotic and hazardous. “The overall lack of concern for rider safety was evident,” the letter added.
Despite the complaints, the 9th National Cycling Championship has drawn participants from across the country. According to an announcement by the PCF, Ali Illyas of SSGC won the gold medal in the men’s 112km elite race, with Umar Farooq taking silver and Mohammad Shan securing bronze.