Volleyball team to face trouble as lodging charges not paid to SAG organisers

KARACHI: Pakistan volleyball team may face trouble when it reaches Nepal on Tuesday (today) for the 13th South Asian Games as the government is yet to deposit the accommodation fee for the national contingent.

According to a well-placed source, the government has neither deposited accommodation fee for the national contingent with the organisers nor has given any guarantee letter to the organisers.

But a Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) official told ‘The News’ that the accommodation fee would be deposited within three days. However, the official was quick to add that the Board had told the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) that the NOC should give guarantee to the organisers on behalf of the PSB to avert any issue.

But a POA official said that the NOC would not give any guarantee as it was the responsibility of the government. National volleyballers were scheduled to fly out of Islamabad for Kathmandu on Monday night as volleyball event begins from November 27. “If volleyball team faced any issue then India might highlight this matter a lot,” a source said.

Meanwhile, the volleyball event has been rescheduled. As per fresh information, Pakistan will now begin their journey in Group B with the outing against the Maldives on November 28.

The Green-shirts will face Sri Lanka on November 30. India, Bangladesh and Nepal are in Group A. Two teams from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals.