KARACHI: The first batch comprising 123 athletes and officials left here on Tuesday for Dhaka to figures in the 11th South Asian Games being staged at different venues of the Bangladesh from January, 29 to February, 29. The contingent comprised Badminton, Hockey, Cycling, Football, Volleyball, Weightlifting and also included by Doctor, Lady Doctor, Physiotherapist and Masseur.
The second batch contingent consisting of 66 players and officials including athletes of Basketball, Judo, Kabaddi, Shooting and Squash will leave from Karachi on January, 28.
Federal Sports Minister, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani will also accompany the second batch of the contingent.
The small batch of 16 players of Handball will leave from Karachi on January, 30.
The 4th batch of five golf players and officials will leave on February, 1 from Karachi.
The 5th batch of athletes of Boxing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Wrestling and Wushu will fly from Karachi on February 2.
The 6th batch of 57 athletes of in Athletics, Karate and Taekwondo will leave from Karachi airport February, 4.
The untimely and dramatic changes in the contingent officials list for the South Asian Games left many confused when the government reduced the strength of the said party from 13 to seven just hours before departure of the officials for Bangladesh.
The untimely decision from the government to reduce the strength and lack of communication of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) with some of the officials who were dropped hours before their departure for Bangladesh was something humiliating.
A senior official, who was given a key secretarial responsibility, had left his home and come to Karachi as he was scheduled to fly out from here for Dhaka on Tuesday (today) was also the victim of the late decision of the government. Unfortunately, he was not informed by the PSB about the late developments and is set to go back home after his name was dropped.
A PSB official told ‘The News’ that earlier a 17-member contingent was finalised for the South Asian Games penciled in for January 29 to February 9 in Dhaka, but three names were excluded from the list by the federal sports minister. However, the 13-member list which was sent to the Prime Minister returned with fresh amendments as six more officials were dropped, restricting the total strength of the contingent officials to just seven. After the new developments, the Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Amir Hamza Gilani, who was also scheduled to leave for Dhaka as Deputy Chief-de-Mission, will not be able to proceed.
‘The News’ also learnt that the changes were made repeatedly and it looked that the PSB had left its grip over the affairs and the federal secretary sports, who will visit Bangladesh as Chief-de-Mission, was trying to control the whole thing and the DG PSB exclusion from the list is a clear indication of that. Interestingly, a PSB well-informed official initially told this correspondent that Sharafat Hussain, who is the personal assistant of the federal sports minister, will go to Dhaka as administration officer of the contingent but later on he revised his statement, saying that Chaudhry Asghar will go in the same capacity as Sharafat has been dropped. ‘The News’ learnt that this was because Chaudhry Asghar had already left for Dhaka.
It has also been learnt that PSB’s seasoned Director Technical Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera was also included in the list the other day, but was dropped hours back. These alterations came within few hours which show how our sports affairs are being handled.
Final contingent officials list: Anisul Hasnain Mousavi (Chief-de- Mission), Dr Waheed Mughal (Deputy Chief-de-Mission, secretary, treasurer), Chaudhry M Asghar (Admin Officer), Dr Waqar Ahmed (Doctor), Mahrukh Siddiqui (Lady Doctor), Dr Kamran Mehdi (physiotherapist), Abdi Shamoon (masseur).
The second batch contingent consisting of 66 players and officials including athletes of Basketball, Judo, Kabaddi, Shooting and Squash will leave from Karachi on January, 28.
Federal Sports Minister, Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani will also accompany the second batch of the contingent.
The small batch of 16 players of Handball will leave from Karachi on January, 30.
The 4th batch of five golf players and officials will leave on February, 1 from Karachi.
The 5th batch of athletes of Boxing, Swimming, Table Tennis, Wrestling and Wushu will fly from Karachi on February 2.
The 6th batch of 57 athletes of in Athletics, Karate and Taekwondo will leave from Karachi airport February, 4.
The untimely and dramatic changes in the contingent officials list for the South Asian Games left many confused when the government reduced the strength of the said party from 13 to seven just hours before departure of the officials for Bangladesh.
The untimely decision from the government to reduce the strength and lack of communication of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) with some of the officials who were dropped hours before their departure for Bangladesh was something humiliating.
A senior official, who was given a key secretarial responsibility, had left his home and come to Karachi as he was scheduled to fly out from here for Dhaka on Tuesday (today) was also the victim of the late decision of the government. Unfortunately, he was not informed by the PSB about the late developments and is set to go back home after his name was dropped.
A PSB official told ‘The News’ that earlier a 17-member contingent was finalised for the South Asian Games penciled in for January 29 to February 9 in Dhaka, but three names were excluded from the list by the federal sports minister. However, the 13-member list which was sent to the Prime Minister returned with fresh amendments as six more officials were dropped, restricting the total strength of the contingent officials to just seven. After the new developments, the Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Amir Hamza Gilani, who was also scheduled to leave for Dhaka as Deputy Chief-de-Mission, will not be able to proceed.
‘The News’ also learnt that the changes were made repeatedly and it looked that the PSB had left its grip over the affairs and the federal secretary sports, who will visit Bangladesh as Chief-de-Mission, was trying to control the whole thing and the DG PSB exclusion from the list is a clear indication of that. Interestingly, a PSB well-informed official initially told this correspondent that Sharafat Hussain, who is the personal assistant of the federal sports minister, will go to Dhaka as administration officer of the contingent but later on he revised his statement, saying that Chaudhry Asghar will go in the same capacity as Sharafat has been dropped. ‘The News’ learnt that this was because Chaudhry Asghar had already left for Dhaka.
It has also been learnt that PSB’s seasoned Director Technical Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera was also included in the list the other day, but was dropped hours back. These alterations came within few hours which show how our sports affairs are being handled.
Final contingent officials list: Anisul Hasnain Mousavi (Chief-de- Mission), Dr Waheed Mughal (Deputy Chief-de-Mission, secretary, treasurer), Chaudhry M Asghar (Admin Officer), Dr Waqar Ahmed (Doctor), Mahrukh Siddiqui (Lady Doctor), Dr Kamran Mehdi (physiotherapist), Abdi Shamoon (masseur).
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