Athletes, volleyballers released from camps to celebrate Eid

KARACHI: Pakistani athletes and volleyballers were on Saturday released for a few days from their training camps to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their families.

Both the athletics and volleyball camps were in operation at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad. National athletes would be fielding in the Asian Championship to be held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India, from July 6-9. National spikers are set to participate in the Asian Championship to be held in Indonesia from July 24 to August 1.

Five athletes, including Arshad Nadeem, Nokar Hussain, Mehboob Ali, Umar Sadat and Asad Iqbal on Saturday left for their homes. 

“They have been allowed to go to their homes for Eid,” Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) secretary Mohammad Zafar told ‘The News’ on Saturday from Lahore.

However, he was quick to add that because of shortage of time they would not re-assemble in Islamabad but would rather proceed to India on July 3 for featuring in the continental event.

Zafar said that applications had already been filed for visas, adding, he was hopeful that his athletes would be given India’s visas.

“So far things are going in right direction and I am very much hopeful that we would get visas,” Zafar said.

Zafar and the AFP President Major General (retd) Akram Sahi would also accompany the squad as the duo would attend the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) Congress meeting to be held on July 4 and 5.

Meanwhile, Pakistan volleyball coach Hamid Movahedi told this correspondent on Saturday that he had released his players.

“The players are going to their homes today. They will be back on June 28 because the Islamabad Sports Complex has been closed today and will re-open on June 29. Today we did practice before sehri,” said Hamid, who belongs to Iran.