Squad finalised for Street Child Games

Mehr, Hussain, Naeem, Naseer part of final line-up and will travel to Rio

KARACHI: Pakistan will be sending a four-member squad to the inaugural Street Child Games, scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from next week.

Mehr Ali and Salman Hussain, both of whom represented the country in the 2014 Street Child World Cup, are part of the squad along with Naeem and Naseer. They are joined by Azad Foundation manager Irfan Maqbool, who is also representing Street Child United, the organisation behind the Games. And Maqbool believes all four athletes are motivated to do well in the event.

“All four [of the athletes] are prepared and motivated,” Maqbool told The Express Tribune. “We’ve just received our visas [on Thursday] and these games are important as each event means something to them. The two new children in the squad [Naeem, Naseer] are from the impoverished localities of Malir and Ibrahim Hyderi.”



Pakistan will be among the 10 countries participating in the event.

Maqbool further said that Street Child United, which is recognised by the International Olympic Council’s Olympic Truce Movement, is seeking to promote sports among the underprivileged class and encourage them to pursue a career in sport.

He further added that Pakistan athletes will compete in the 100m and 800m sprint, long jump and shot-put events.



Meanwhile, Pakistan team leader Naeem wants to inspire others to follow the same path as he did.  “Whatever I learn at the Games, I will make sure that I give it back to the community and help any future budding athletes [to fulfil their dreams] in any way possible,” said Naeem.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2016.

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