PSB warns POA to put house in order for polls

The rift deepens ahead of the Olympic association's elections on Dec 30

KARACHI:

The rift between the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) issues warning to the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) raising concerns over the elections of the latter on December 30.

The PSB works under the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and represents the government, looking after the policies, infrastructure, and government grants to its affiliate national federations. Meanwhile, the POA is responsible for bridging the national federations with the International Olympic Committee (OC), hence representing them in the country and the national federations associated with them are able to compete at the regional, continental, and Olympic Games.

PSB and POA are two sports bodies that need to work side-by-side to ensure the smooth running of the sports federations and international participation for the athletes, respectively.

However, in previous years the two bodies had been at odds and their differences have spawned parallel federations of various sports bodies supporting either PSB or POA.

In 2014 the fight between the two was settled when the IOC sided with the General (R) Arif Hasan POA and that the government would not interfere in the matters of organisations and sports bodies relating to sports. However, the recent PSB statement issued on December 18 has resurfaced the cracks in the truce.

"The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has formally raised concerns over the legitimacy of the upcoming Elective General Council meeting of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), scheduled for 30th December 2024.

"In a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the PSB highlighted multiple violations of governance principles and procedural irregularities that compromise the integrity of the election process," the press release read.

It further added: "The PSB expressed apprehension over the POA's failure to provide access to its amended constitution, which has yet to be published on its official website. This lack of transparency has deprived election participants and stakeholders of critical information, raising doubts about the fairness of the process. Additionally, the electoral college composition, only recently disclosed on 16th December 2024, has left insufficient time for contestants to prepare adequately."

The PSB also mentioned the Weightlifting Federation, that have been shrouded in doping controversy with even the officials involved in the corrupt practices, but it is recognised by the International Weightlifting Federation.

"The letter further criticized the inclusion of federations facing doping charges and disputed federations in the electoral process. The PSB noted that granting voting rights to suspended federations, such as the Weightlifting Federation, undermines the credibility of the elections and violates international anti-doping regulations," the PSB stated.

It further criticized federations like boxing, which is run by the POA Secretary Khalid Mehmood as the president.

"Moreover, individuals holding dual roles across federations have been permitted to cast votes in multiple capacities, raising serious questions about electoral manipulation.

"The PSB also highlighted the participation of non-affiliated federations 'legally barred' from representing Pakistan. Meanwhile, Mehmood was unavailable to comment on the matter but will speak with this correspondent on the weekend.

The differences between PSB and the POA have shaped the Pakistani sports landscape, with national federations often used as pawns for electoral gains, but it is the athletes that pay the price.

There are 44 national sports federations listed with the PSB, while the POA shows 34 national federations minus the departmental and provincial units.

POA's position

The POA had also held a General Council meeting on November 30, in which the federation 'unanimously adopted a resolution reaffirming their respect for the Government of Pakistan and their commitment to the promotion, development, and governance of sports in alignment with national interests and international standards.

"Additionally, the NSFs collectively drafted and signed a letter addressed to the Pakistan Sports Board, urging the PSB not to enforce any rules that contradict the principles of the Olympic Charter. The letter highlighted the repercussions of such actions, including rendering the National sports federations non-compliant with the statutes of their respective international federations, the POA, and the Olympic Charter."