Daily Times

LAHORE: Funds shortage has forced the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) to reduce the strength of the Pakistan continent, from 300 to 245, that will participate in the next month’s 18th Asian Games to be held in Indonesia. A vital meeting of the sports stakeholders was held at the Olympic House here Monday to discuss the strength of the national contingent. The meeting, which was chaired by POA president Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hassan, was attended by the representatives of national sports federations and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). The PSB told the POA that it wanted to reduce the strength of the contingent as the government cannot sponsor more than 140 members for the quadrennial extravaganza slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2. Initially, it had been decided that a 397-member contingent would feature in the Asiad out of which around 300 would be financially supported by the PSB.

But due to lack of funds the PSB has taken a U-turn. The PSB’s decision has sparked protest in the ranks of those national federations which have worked hard to prepare their sides. The PSB made it clear to the POA that it would not be sponsoring team sports. Pakistan athletes are to feature in 36 disciplines. The PSB had already announced that it would not sponsor football, table tennis, gymnastics and basketball. Because of the issue, the Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBBF) had decided not to send its team to Indonesia.

“After deliberation with all stakeholders in the meeting, it has been resolved that since final entries and draws of the teams have already taken place, therefore, no team will be dropped to avoid the penalties by the Olympic Council of Asia and the Asian Games Organising Committee. However, keeping in view the financial constraint of the PSB, the strength of the Pakistan contingent is reduced from 300 to 245,” POA secretary general Muhammad Khalid Mahmood said after the meeting. “83 athletes and officials of the national sports federations, not affiliated with the POA and PSB, have also been accredited and they will bear the expenses of participation in the Asian Games at their own,” Khalid added.

The PSB’s working this year has been affected by various factors. After the retirement of Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera as Director General of the PSB in February this year, Amir Ali Ahmed was brought in for three months. Before the expiry of his brief stint he was removed and Arif Ibrahim was made acting DG Arif, a Grade-21 officer, seems to have failed to run the PSB effectively.

Published in Daily Times, July 24^th 2018.