Govt sponsoring 140 out of 390 Asiad contingent members

ISLAMABAD: The government has left Pakistan’s participation in team and individual sports in doubt in certain cases as it has decided to sponsor only 140 members out of the 390 for the forthcoming Asian Games starting in the Indonesian city of Jakarta from August 18.

The surprising and abrupt decision on the part of the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) has left the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) high and dry.

The POA has already sent by name entry to the organisers and it would now be difficult to withdraw it. The decision on the part of the Government of Pakistan has left us high and dry,” Khalid Mehmood, secretary POA when contacted said. He said that besides federations officials, the POA has also invited government representatives to attend the meeting. “It is a matter of national prestige. We have already sent entries and the organisers have already left the available space according to our requirement. We have to pay them our boarding lodging and other accordingly. We cannot turn our backs now,” he said.

The team sports including hockey, football, squash, volleyball, kabaddi and baseball’s strength is almost the same that the government has decided to sponsor. “What would happen to other individual sports. There are several other sports in which Pakistan are to participate. We have finalized around 400-member contingent. Those sports and federations which are affiliated with the government should get financial backing and support.” The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has earlier indicated that the government would back 300-members. “The Ministry has now cut down the size to 140. We have communicated the message to POA,” a PSB official when contacted said.

Our Karachi correspondent adds: Not knowing exactly what decision Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) would take regarding national judokas’ participation in the 18th Asian Games, Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) on Thursday expressed the hope that its fighters would feature in the quadrennial event slated to be held in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang from August 18 to September 2. “PJF is hopeful to participate in Asian Games to be held in Indonesia,” PJF said in its press release on Thursday. According to the POA, its Executive Committee would meet after general elections to decide the fate of the national judo fighters whether they would be sent to Indonesia for the Asian Games or not.

The PJF said it had been in contact with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the POA regarding Pakistan’s participation in judo event in the Asian Games in which Pakistan is set to feature in 36 disciplines if judo is excluded from the list.

But it has been learnt that the NOC has already sent names of some top judokas to the Asian Games organisers for their accreditation cards. The PJF also informed that Tokyo-based Olympian Shah Hussain, Qaisar Khan, Babar Hussain, Nadeem Akram, Humaira Ashiq, Maryam and Japan-based Amina Toyoda have been selected for the Asiad.