PHOTO COURTESY: GYMKHNAN.IITB.AC.IN
KARACHI: The Pakistan kho kho team, which is participating for the first time at the South Asian Games after organisers recently included the sport in the regional mega event, were given a shock as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) refused to include their 12-member squad in the 436-member contingent travelling to India.
PSB director general Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera argued that since the sport does not have a functioning federation in the country, the board cannot recognise them.
Following the announcement by the South Asian Games organisers of including kho kho as a sport at the event, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) had formed the Pakistan Kho Kho Federation (PKKF).
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However, Ganjera revealed that as the newly-formed board was not yet registered with the PSB, hence they cannot sanction funds for them nor include them in the contingent.
“The kho kho team is not recognised by the board and will not receive any funding from us. They will also not be included in the contingent travelling to India as there is no board to represent them,” announced Ganjera.
Meanwhile, PKKF secretary Shabbir Ahmed revealed that the federation had received the accreditations from the organisers of the South Asian Games and would therefore they would be sending the squad on their own.
“We have received the accreditation cards and are funding the team on our own; they will be leaving for India on February 5 to play their first match the next day on February 6,” Ahmed told The Express Tribune. “It does not matter if PSB doesn’t recognise us, the POA does, and we have received accreditation which is enough to participate.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2016.
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