Venues for SAG almost finalised

LAHORE: After a thorough discussion with the relevant federations during a high-profile meeting here on Monday the venues for the 14th South Asian Games were almost finalised.

According to a well-placed source the venues in Lahore and Islamabad were finalised while Faisalabad will host only handball event during the biennial spectacle which Pakistan is supposed to host early next year.

A top official, who attended the meeting chaired by the IPC Secretary Nadeem Irshad Kayani here on Monday, told The News that federations, focal person of the PSB, focal person of Sports Board Punjab (SBP) and Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will meet with the heads of the venues within two weeks to discuss various issues relating to the venues.

The official said that Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad will be utilised for the South Asian Games which Pakistan is going to host for the third time in history.

“In Lahore events of 17 or 18 disciplines will be held while in Islamabad eight or nine events will be conducted,” the official said. The official clarified that induction of more disciplines at this stage is not possible.

“We have got in writing the NOCs for the 25 disciplines which have been finalised,” the official was quick to add. The meeting was also attended by DG Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Punjab government secretary finance, Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab, Secretary General POA and represdentatives of federations of athletics, archery, badminton, cycling, boxing, football, handball, hockey, kabaddi, wushu, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, baseball, swimming weightlifting, taekwondo, karate, NRAP, rowing, basketball, squash, golf, judo, triathlon and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Two meetings were held with Kayani in the chair. One was SAG venues specific while the other two-hour long meeting was held on good governance, marketing and conduct. According to sources federations, especially those of martial arts and wrestling, requested the IPC secretary that their squads should be provided with foreign training before the South Asian Games.