Pak judokas to compete in Islamic Games if PJF follows POA rules

KARACHI: Pakistan’s judokas may only be able to feature in the Islamic Games if Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) complied with the rules of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).

A senior official of the POA told ‘The News’ on Thursday that it was confirmed that the entries of judokas had not been sent for the fourth Islamic Games, which will be held in Azerbaijan capital Baku from May 12-22.

However, he said if the PJF admitted its fault and withdrew its cases against the POA it had filed at the Lahore High Court (LHC) and promised to accept POA’s arbitration, things could be settled down.

“Only then can the entries of judokas be sent — as a special case,” the official said and added that the POA had already received a letter of the PJF.

However, he was quick to add that the POA would never deviate from its stance.

He said that the matter would also be discussed at the POA’s general body meeting which has been convened at Lahore on January 30. The official said that the PJF had to withdraw cases at the LHC before the POA’s elections held in January 2016.

He said that the PJF had withdrawn the case against the POA’s arbitration it had filed at the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He recalled that the PJF’s former president Col Shujaat Ali Rana had promised that his federation would abide by the rules of the NOC, withdraw the cases and face the POA’s arbitration.

He said the PJF is recognised by the International Judo Federation (IJF), so the POA does not interfere in its affairs.

“The federation can do whatever it wants for the promotion of judo. But when it seeks support from the POA in any matter, the PJF will have to comply with the rules of the NOC,” the official said.

It is pertinent to mention here that the PJF, along with Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) and Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF), had been re-inducted into the Olympic fold after the Lausanne agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in late 2015 on the condition that these federations would withdraw all the cases filed in various courts against the POA.

The PCF has the same issues with the POA which PJF has.

The POA does not recognise both these federations in spite of the fact that they are recognised by their respective international federations.

When asked if the POA had differences with the PJF why Shah Hussain had been sent for Rio Olympics, the official said that the PJF had promised to comply with the rules.

He also said that the athlete had individually approached the POA for his participation in the Olympics.