NA body to get briefing by POA, PHF officials on 10th

ISLAMABAD: Amid growing uncertainty about the future relations among main stakeholders in sports, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) has invited the officials of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for a detailed briefing on September 10.

During the last meeting, chairman of the committee Nawab Sher Waseer and members of the committee got a comprehensive briefing from the officials of the Ministry for IPC regarding its working and Pakistan Sports Board’s (PSB) responsibilities and range of powers.

This is the first time that a representative from the POA has been invited to an official forum following the Tokyo Olympics.

The IPC ministry and the PSB have been calling all the shots all these days blaming the federations and POA for the fiasco on every forum without letting these bodies share their side of the story. It will, however, be the first time after the Olympics that the POA, PHF and the gymnastics federation will be given opportunity to brief the members on the prevailing sports structure, rights and responsibilities of each component in sports development.

The agenda item of September 10 meeting includes confirmation of the previous meeting. A comprehensive report on the implementation of the previous meeting and to discuss prevention of offenses in Sports Bill 2020 is also an agenda point.

The ministry and the POA have been blaming each other for Pakistan’s failure to win medals at the Tokyo Olympics. Things, however, now have changed as one of the star performers Haider Ali went on to win first gold in Paralympics without any apparent support from the PSB or the ministry. After failing to get a positive response from the PSB, Haider was supported by Punjab Sports Minister Taimoor Ali Bhatti enabling him win Paralympics gold for Pakistan.