POA-PSB meeting on June 15

KARACHI: A meeting of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) will be held at Islamabad on June 15 to discuss matters regarding Pakistan’s participation in the Asian Indoor and Martial Games, slated to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from September 17-27.

“Yes, we will meet the PSB on June 15 and will ask which disciplines the state will support for the event,” a senior POA official told ‘The News’.

He said the POA would then meet those federations who would field their athletes in the Ashgabat competitions.

“In the last week of Ramadan we will invite the officials of the federations for a meeting,” the official said.

The PSB refused to sponsor Pakistan’s basketball teams (both men and women) just before their departure for Baku, Azerbaijan, for the Islamic Games held from May 12-22. But the basketball teams were sent by Pakistan Basketball Federation and POA. Pakistan will feature in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in athletics, swimming, ju-jitsu, basketball, weightlifting, tennis, taekwondo, wrestling, belt wrestling and traditional wrestling.

Judo once again is not in the list because of the differences between POA and Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) over legal matters.

As per the POA general council’s decision, if players or their families approach it for sending entries for the competitions their entries will be sent. POA says that PJF has not withdrawn cases against POA. PJF claims that the cases have been withdrawn. Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) has a similar issue with the POA.