POA asks govt to re-compose SAG Committee

KARACHI: A senior official of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) on Thursday asked the officials of the IPC Ministry and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to redo the Organising Committee of the 14th South Asian Games.

During a meeting in Lahore, the POA senior official told the state functionaries that the Oraganising Committee has been constituted without consulting the POA which is the sole authority to hold the biennial spectacle which is expected to be held in March 2023.

‘The News’ learnt that in the meeting discussion on venues was held. The POA also told the state officials that opening and closing ceremonies of the biennial spectacle should be held in Lahore and the Games secretariat also should be established at the Punjab capital which is expected to host competitions in 17 disciplines. The rest of the events in the 27-sports spectacle will be held in Islamabad which has hosted South Asian Games two times before.

Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot were among the options and POA advised the state officials to consider these cities which have manifold importance being hubs of some major disciplines besides having major sports manufacturing industries.

It has been learnt that once the venues are finalised then an inspection team of the South Asian Olympic Council will visit these venues. Sources said that the POA senior official also stressed during the meeting that there will be need to take into confidence the new government and without that it will not be possible to hold the Games.

It has been learnt that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and it seems that both the NOC and the government will be able to remove their differences on various fronts and will be able to constitute an organising committee which is acceptable to POA.

The POA recently showed reservations over the constitution of the Games Organising Committee.