POA warns Sindh govt against ignoring SOA

KARACHI: Strongly reacting to the Sindh government’s step to hold National Beach Games later this week without involving Sindh Olympic Association (SOA), Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has warned that it would ask national federations and provincial Olympic associations not to participate in these Games.

It said the provincial government must not ignore the respective Olympic association’s mandatory role.

In a letter to the Sindh Chief Secretary, the POA elaborated the mandatory role of the provincial Olympic association in holding such events.

It also pointed out to the Sindh government that the weather was not conducive for such Games and that children were busy in their examinations. There would be no meaningful participation of the youth who are the backbone of sports, it added.

The POA earlier mentioned in the letter that such Games required detailed planning. “The SOA had been in 0stouch with the Sindh government for the last two years and the sudden announcement of organising these Games has taken everybody by surprise,” the letter said.

It is pertinent to mention here that SOA was going to hold the First National Beach Games last year and the Sindh government had approved a sum of Rs20 million for the purpose.  But the grant was not released, which delayed the competitions.