‘Time to build mega sports complex in Abbottabad’

KARACHI: Pakistan Volleyball Federation’s (PVF) Chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob on Wednesday said that the federal government should establish a well-facilitated Sports Complex at Abbottabad so that national camps could be held there in summer in future.

“You know national athletes will have to train at Islamabad and other cities for the Asian Games at a time when the country is in grip of heat wave. In order to avoid such problem in future the federal government should build a well-facilitated Sports Complex at Abbottabad where the weather remains moderate in summer and so national camps in that case could be easily held there in future,” Yaqoob told ‘The News’ on Wednesday.

“We have only one mega sports facility in the country in the shape of Pakistan Sports Complex at Islamabad. If at Abbottabad such a facility is managed then the camps could be held there from May to September, a time-frame in which weather in Islamabad is normally hot,” said Yaqoob, also a former top police official.

He said that billions of rupees were wasted on building a sports complex in Narowal which could not be properly utilized as it was very far away.“There was no need to spend such a huge amount on Narowal Sports Complex which is not within the reach of sports fraternity. It would have been much better had land in Abbottabad been purchased and a sports complex built there which could be utilised for national cause,” Yaqoob said.

Around Rs1200 million has been spent on the construction of Narowal Sports Complex which is a multi-sport facility.He said Liaquat Gymnasium, housed in Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad, is also not air-conditioned which creates a great problem for the volleyballers. “Liaquat Gymnasium is not air-conditioned. When players practice there in hot weather they lose energy and become weak. If you have facility at Abbottabad then you can easily hold camps there in summer,” the official said.

“Mostly international events are held at a time when Pakistan is in grip of hot weather and constructing a complex at Abbottabad will be a long-term solution to the problem,” Yaqoob reiterated.

He said if Islamabad-like sports facilities were managed at Abbottabad then in summer Pakistan would also be able to hold international events there.He also suggested that the state should enhance boarding facility at the Pakistan Sports Complex Islamabad. “If another hotsel is added to the existing ones then it will help meet the future pressure,” Yaqoob said.

About Pakistan’s volleyball team camp for the Asian Games Yaqoob said they had requested the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) for an early camp.“We have requested the Board that our camp should be held early. You know hardly two and a half months time is left which is not sufficient. At least a four-month camp for the Asian Games was needed,” the official pointed out. “Other nations hold camps for such a mega event for years,” he was quick to add.

The Asian Games are pencilled in for August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang. He said Pakistan’s youth and junior team camps had also been shifted from Islamabad to Peshawar.

Asian Games camps have not yet been initiated. The PSB will meet federations and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) on June 6 in Islamabad to finalise some matters regarding the Asiad’s preparations. A few days ago the PSB had to halt the already established camps for the Asian Games due to financial issues.

Yaqoob also informed that Pakistan’s Iranian coach Hamid Movahedi would reach Pakistan on Thursday (today) to join camp in Peshawar. He said that he would handle all the three camps for junior, youth and senior with the assistance of his support staff.