POA asked not to announce dates of National Games

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

According to sources the BOA through a letter has informed the POA that there are parallel associations in five disciplines including archery, athletics, cycling, judo and wushu in Balochistan.

The POA has been told if the NOC ignored the issue and went for holding National Games the matter could convert into a tribal issue.Sources said that Shahwani tribe, Marri tribe and Noorzai tribe were very strong, adding, if they sat on the track during the National Games in revolt then it would create a great trouble for the organisers.

Sources said that the BOA has told POA that through arbitration the NOC could eradicate parallelism from sports in Balochistan and other regions of the country where the same menace has destroyed several disciplines.

Sources said that the BOA has also questioned POA in the letter why athletics event was cancelled during the 4th Inter-Provincial Games held at Peshawar recently.It was learnt that BOA has told POA if the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has issued any threatening remarks then it should disaffiliate it and form a new federation.

Sources said that Balochistan government has also not released funds to the organisers of the National Games which has also obstructed the holding of the biennial event.Since its inception in 1948 this is the first time in history that National Games got too late due to various reasons.

Last year, too, the Games had been postponed twice, once due to security issues and once due to funding problem.The last event had been held in 2012 in Lahore in which the undisputed champions Army had not taken part. And WAPDA were able to emerge victorious.