National camps for Asiad begin today

KARACHI: In a bid to prepare for the 18th Asian Games national camps will begin at different centres of the country from Wednesday (today).

Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) spokesman Mohammad Azam Dar told ‘The News’ on Tuesday that Islamabad would host the camps of athletics, baseball, boxing, handball, karate, taekwondo, squash (already started),tennis, volleyball, kabaddi, and weightlifting. However he was quick to add that volleyball camp would begin after Pakistan’s junior and youth volleyball teams’ participation in the Asian Junior and Asian Youth Championships.

He also added that badminton camp would start in July in the federal capital. ”A week-long golf camp would be held in August while kabaddi will hold its camp in the federal capital from July 1 after the team will return from Dubai where it is set to feature in the Masters Cup 2018 which will begin this week,” Dar informed.

He also appended that the camps of wrestling, wushu, ju-jitsu and swimming (male) would begin on Wednesday at Lahore while female swimming camp would start in Karachi also on Wednesday.

He said that National Rifle Association (NRAP) has already established camp and has not sought the PSB financial assistance in the whole exercise. However he said that NRAP has requested the Board to meet the ammunition expenses of its only civilian shooter Usman Chand. “The Board will meet the shooter’s ammunition expenses,” Dar confirmed.

Dar also revealed that the Board has also formed a four-member monitoring committee carrying former international players and coaches, who are employees of the Board, to monitor the camps.

“The committee will monitor the camps and would also hold meetings with the coaches after 15 days to discuss with them about the deduction they would make in the strength as required,” Dar said. The committee carries Rana Nasrullah, M Arshad, Asadullah and M Ashraf.

Meanwhile Dar also revealed that the Board is considering to sponsor 280 members of the national contingent which will feature in the Asian Games slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2. “Yes, the Board is contemplating to sponsor around 280-member national contingent for the Asian Games. The same strength will also include ten contingent officials,” Dar said. Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) had mentioned in its press release after its meeting with national federations and PSB in Lahore on June 13 that the Board would sponsor 300 members out of the estimated 397-member contingent of Pakistan which would feature in 36 disciplines, 28 affiliated and eight non-affiliated.

Dar explained that the state would support the squads of athletics, badminton, baseball, boxing, equestrian, golf, handball, hockey, ju-jitsu, kabaddi, karate, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, squash, swimming, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu. He was quick to add that the Board would not sponsor archery, basketball, football, gymnastics and table tennis.

“Archery, basketball and gymnastics are not affiliated with the PSB. The Board has also legal issues with Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and there are two bodies of the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF). So we cannot sponsor all these,” Dar said.

Dar also confirmed that the Board has received the request of Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) that the top national grapplers should be sent to Ukraine for training for the Asiad.

Dar said that during meeting with national federations recently the Board had asked them to tell where they stand. “Almost all of them said that through fielding their squads they want to build match temperament of their respective athletes and give them international exposure in a bid to prepare them for the South Asian Games,” Dar informed. Dar added that only judo federation conceded that it would be in top five.

He said that all federations have been asked to submit their budget proposals in July with the Board with complete details so that proper allocations could be made by the Board regarding their foreign tours.

Meanwhile Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) Secretary General Mohammad Zafar told The News that 18 male and three female athletes have been invited to the camp which will begin in Islamabad on Wednesday. “We intend to send 17 male and three female athletes to Indonesia for the Asian Games. But this will be subject to the approval from the Board,” Zafar said. He said Pakistan could pull off surprise in the men’s 4X400m relay.