POA secretary Khalid unhappy with SAG preparations

KARACHI: A senior official of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) on Saturday conceded that the country’s preparation for the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) is not of the standard which is required for any international event.

“Pakistan can get a bonus of the preparations being made for National Games but the preparation which is required for featuring in any international event is not being done,” POA secretary Khalid Mehmood told ‘The News’ here on Saturday.

When asked whether Pakistan would field a small contingent in the biennial spectacle in the prevailing situation Khalid said, “It depends on the support of the government.” The 13th South Asian Games are slated to be held in Nepal’s cities of Kathmandu and Pokhara from December 1-10.

The issue is that the state is not sponsoring national camps for the biennial event. The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has already made it clear that until the end of the 33rd National Games slated to be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from October 26 to November 1 the Board would not hold any official camp for SAG.

And after the National Games the time will be too short and through a hardly three-week camp under the government’s patronage it would not be possible for the country to impress itself in the Games. Khalid, however, dispelled the impression that there was any chance of the postponement of the SAG. “Nepal is hundred percent ready,” Khalid said. Khalid, meanwhile, was satisfied with the preparations for the 33rd National Games to be held in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“I think preparations for National Games are quite good. KP Olympic Association and KP government are on the same page. They are making collective efforts. And we are in contact with national federations and participating units. I am confident it will be a good event,” said Khalid, who is also the president of Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF).

About the demand of the former FATA’s players and officials for fielding a separate contingent in the National Games Khalid said: “I cannot say who is backing all these protest demonstrations. But the issue is that it is a constitutional matter. FATA cannot field its separate contingent in National Games. They will have to come into mainstream with KP. Using FATA world is now constitutionally wrong. Yes, athletes of that area should be given full opportunity. In my view wzatever I have talked to the KP government’s people and KP Olympic Association they are being given full opportunity through open trials,” Khalid said.

Khalid also made it clear that judo, cycling, athletics and football would be part of National Games. “These disciplines will be part of National Games. But the issue is that those federations who are suspended and will not follow our instructions and directives we will constitute a special committee for them with the representation of the KP Olympic Association, KP Sports Board and POA,” he said. “Normalisation Committee has come for football but it has not given us things in support of modus operandi and now we will decide its National Games participation on October 10 at the POA General Council meeting,” Khalid informed.

When asked whether NC has written any letter to the POA regarding football inclusion in National Games, Khalid said NC had not written to the POA but rather NOC wrote to it. “We wrote to FIFA to tell us about football status as we want to hold National Games. The world body said that it would be informed when NC would be composed. We then wrote to NC and NC in response told us to include football in National Games,” Khalid said.