POA may turn National Games into inter-provincial games

KARACHI: The decision to abolish departmental sports teams has already been made by the federal government as the premier has issued directives and on the basis of which work is also being done. Various departments have already closed their teams.

Keeping in view the same situation Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) is mulling an option to change the National Games structure and it is more likely that these Games will be switched over to Inter-Provincial Games.

A well-placed source in the POA told ‘The News’ that the armed forces will also be told that they will allow their players to represent their respective provinces and regions in the Inter-Provincial Games.

The Inter-Provincial Games concept is already there in the POA events structure and this concept will be further strengthened, following the state’s decision to abolish sports teams.

The state has also advised departments to divert their funding to support regional teams. The POA source said that players will represent their provincial or regional teams on the basis of their domiciles.

The source said that all these things will be discussed in the POA general council before taking any final decision in future. Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir will also be included in the Inter-Provincial Games.

Meanwhile the POA also intends to send its delegation to Quetta next month in order to inspect the venues and other related matters relating to the National Games as Quetta is supposed to hold this major event sometime in future.

It is also expected that the POA opts to hold National Games just ahead of the 14th South Asian Games which Pakistan is supposed to host by March 2023, as a tentative schedule.

However, it has been learnt that there is no Balochistan Olympic Association (BOA) yet as a legal case has been filed and until it is disposed of, elections of the provincial association cannot be held.