Daily Times

KARACHI: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has appointed the country’s first ever sports anti-harassment committee to hear harassment complaints of athletes. An official of Pakistan Olympic Association confirmed on Thursday that the five-member committee had been formed and a circular was being forwarded to all the players regarding committee’s standard operating procedure. “The five member committee will be headed by Fatima Lakhani, it will have two male members as well,” confirmed Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hassan while talking to media here “We recently heard the allegation of harassment against coach by a female hockey player. We have now formed a national sports anti-harassment committee to hear all such cases,” he added.

Arif further added that the committee would work independently and its verdict would be binding on all the concerned parties. “A circular, in Urdu and English, is being sent to players to make them understand the process to lodge harassment related complain. The circular will also elaborate laws and definition of harassment for understanding of players.” He further revealed that the POA had also formed an arbitration panel to discuss sports related disputes in Pakistan. “There will be 25 plus members in the panel, we already have few names finalized and another few will be finalized in due course,” he said. “Whenever there is a dispute, aggrieved parties will select one member each from the panel, the two will mutually select a chairman to hear the dispute,” the POA president added.

Talking about Asian Games, Arif said that there was no doubt on Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming event and government had already released the required funds for the event. “Our contingent will be of 245 athletes, some teams are going on self finance basis as well. So, we will be participating with full strength,” he said. Replying to a question, the POA boss said that sports should be made a mandatory part of curriculum in sports and for that government level policy making was need of the time.

Published in Daily Times, August 3^rd 2018.