Asian Games 2018: ‘PSB to provide training tours to athletes’

KARACHI: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) plans to provide training tours to squads of several disciplines for preparation of the 18th Asian Games slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2.

A senior official of the PSB told ‘The News’ on Saturday that in July the cases of the federations, who have requested foreign training tours for their athletes would be disposed of through the special grant of the new financial year which will begin on Sunday (today).

Karate, boxing, wushu, wrestling and judo are among those federations who have already requested the Board for foreign training of their athletes.

Boxing and wushu federations want to send their teams to Iran while karate federation wants its fighters to be trained in Turkey. The wrestling federation wants to send its top grapplers to Ukraine for training.

National camps for the Asian Games are in operation in Islamabad and Lahore.

This correspondent learnt on Saturday that as Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad is being rehabilitated, there is enough chance that handball camp will be shifted from Islamabad to the PSB Coaching Centre in Lahore. Pakistan’s 397-member contingent is expected to feature in 36 disciplines at Asian Games.