Judoka Shah to enter Olympic Village on 22nd

KARACHI: Japan-based Pakistan’s top judoka Shah Hussain will enter the Olympic Village on July 22.

A senior official of Pakistan contingent told ‘The News’ from Tokyo on Sunday that Shah has been handed over the accreditation card and he told him that he would come to the Village on July 22.

Shah’s fight will be on July 29.

The official also said that his Japanese coach would receive his accreditation after he signed the papers.

The official said that the players and officials who arrived in Tokyo on Saturday did not face any issue and cleared their Covid tests on arrival.

“All are in good health and are taking rest after a tiresome journey,” the official said.

Most of the players are likely to start training on Monday (today).

The players who have reached Tokyo are shooters Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Gulfam Jospeh and Khalil Akhtar, shuttler Mahoor Shahzad and swimmers Bisma Khan and Haseeb Tariq.

They are accompanied by four officials.

The official said that diet served in the Olympic Village was of high quality. “There is everything available in the diet and it will help keep the players energised. The food is excellent and halal,” the official said.

It has been learnt that there are apartments in the Olympic Village and one apartment has one double bed and a single bed.

The official said that for the first time in Pakistan’s history the athletes have been well looked after during their journey.

“You know the journey was around 50 hours, more if you also include the time in which athletes prepare for flying out of Pakistan. It was the best option to transport the lot via Qatar and the 20-hour stop-over at Doha airport was made easy by booking sleeping cabins and VIP Lounge for each and every player and official,” the official said.

“The credit goes to POA which managed the same. I had never seen such thing in the past,” the official said.

Meanwhile, weightlifter Talha Talib will fly out of Lahore for Tokyo on July 21. Talha is training at Gujranwala under the coaching of his father Mohammad Islam. Talha will compete in the 67 kilogramme competition on July 25.

It has been learnt that Talha has also received a kit bag from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). However, it has been learnt that he has not yet received weights from the PSB which he direly needs for training.

Athletes Arshad Nadeem and Najma Parveen, accompanied by two officials, will leave on July 22. The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which will be held on July 23, will be attended by seven Pakistan players. Only Arshad and Najma will be there in the closing ceremony.