BOA asks POA to resolve parallel bodies issue before National Games

KARACHI: Balochistan Olympic Association (BOA) has told Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) that unless the parallel bodies issue was resolved in the province it should not announce dates for the 33rd National Games which were postponed on Wednesday.

According to sources, the BOA through a letter informed the POA that there were parallel associations of archery, athletics, cycling, judo and wushu in Balochistan.The POA has been told if it ignored the issue and went on to hold National Games, it could become a conflict between tribes.

The sources said that Shahwani, Marri and Noorzai tribes were very strong. If they sat on the track during the National Games in protest it would create great trouble for the organisers, they added. The BOA asked the POA to resolve this issue through arbitration.

The sources said that the BOA also asked the POA in the letter why athletics event was cancelled in the 4th Inter-Provincial Games held at Peshawar recently.The BOA advised the POA that if the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) issued any threatening remarks, it should be disaffiliated.

The sources said that Balochistan government had not released funds to the organisers of the National Games, which also obstructed the holding of the biennial event.Last year, too, the Games had been postponed twice, once due to security issues and once because of funding problem. The last event was held in 2012 in Lahore in which WAPDA emerged victorious as Army stayed away.