POA, federations’ chiefs meeting on July 3

KARACH: An important meeting of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and representatives of federations will be held on July 3 at the Olympic House in Lahore to determine the strength of the athletes who will feature in the Asian Indoor and Martial Games to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from September 17-27.

“We have convened a meeting of the secretaries/presidents of the federations on July 3 in Lahore to discuss various issues before determining the final strength,” POA secretary Khalid Mehmood told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.

“A few days ago we held a detailed meeting with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in Islamabad. It was agreed in the meeting that Pakistan would feature in the Ashgabat Games in those disciplines which have been approved by the POA’s general council,” Khalid said.

“Every federation will give its presentation about the players they have recommended for the assignment and their track record and their medal chances,” the POA official added.

“We have also invited the PSB to the meeting,” Khalid said.

The disciplines which have been approved by the POA’s general council are: athletics, swimming, ju-jitsu, basketball, weight-lifting, tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, belt wrestling and traditional wrestling.

Khalid also said that a meeting of the POA with Balochistan government had been proposed for July 7 in Quetta to discuss matters regarding the National Games, which are slated to be held in Quetta from October 7-14.

To a query, Khalid said that the First Youth Games (boys/girls) would probably be allotted to Punjab. “If Punjab did not agree then the Games would be conducted by the POA itself. Only individual disciplines will be part of the competitions whose format is yet to be finalised,” Khalid said.

“We want to change the format. The competitions of different disciplines may be held in different provinces. The opening and closing ceremonies may also be held in separate provinces. The competitions will be held next year,” he said.

A few days ago the POA allotted the fourth Inter-Provincial Games to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has conducted the same spectacle twice in the past.

To a query, Khalid said that Nepal was determined to host the South Asian Games in March 2019. “Nepal clarified in the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) meeting in Thimphu, Bhutan, early this month that it was committed to host the biennial spectacle as per schedule. It will again give its presentation in Ashgabat in September to show to the member nations of SAOC what progress it has made for holding the competitions,” Khalid said.

Pakistan is expected to host the South Asian Games in 2021. It has hosted the event twice in the past.