Pakistan to send 39-member squad to Olympics
As well as 18 hockey players, the squad also includes two athletes, two swimmers and a shooter, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president Arif Hasan told reporters.
"We have finalised a 39-member contingent with 23 players and 16 officials for the London Olympics and hope that our hockey team win a medal," he said.
Pakistan's participation is under a cloud due to a rift between the POA and the Pakistan Sports Board -- the national body which governs the country's various sports organisations.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) last month met Pakistani sports officials in Switzerland to resolve a row over alleged government interference in the POA affairs, a violation of the Olympic charter.
The PSB wants to implement a new sports policy under which no national sports federation head can have more than two tenures, and expects the POA to follow suit.
But POA chief Arif Hasan, who won a third term in February this year, refused to follow the PSB directives, saying the POA was an autonomous body that would only follow IOC rules.
The PSB said it has convened a meeting on Thursday to solve the matter.
Pakistan's only hopes of winning a medal rests with the hockey squad which qualified for the London Games as Asian champions' title they won in 2010.
Apart from the hockey squad announced on Sunday, Pakistan's contingent includes athletes Rabia Ashiq and Liaquat Ali, swimmers Anum Banday and Israr Hussain and shooter Khurrum Inam -- all on wild-cards.
Pakistan have won three gold medals (1960, 1968 and 1984) and as many silvers and two bronze in field hockey in all Olympics.
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Express Tribune would do well to publish a full article on the 16 officials accompanying the Olympic Players. At a minimum the article should provide their bio data, expereince with the particular sport they are representing and so on. It is intereesting to note that according to VK Malhotra, the IOA’s acting chief, the number of officials accompanying teams should not exceed 50 per cent of the total strength of the squad.
I suspect that many talented pakistanis could not represent their country in world sport and have to watch it on television as they can not afford the training and resources. Nation needs sport university where the talented could be educated and trained. I say to those individuals that thrive on me and me, could spend little of their resources on pakistani talent. Cut down on quantity and spend resources on quality.
I remember in Sydney 2000 Olympics for the Pakistan there were MORE OFFICIALs than athletes. Great to know this tradition still continues!
23 players including many from hockey team. how many other sports discipline pakistan is particpating?
how petty , an Olympic team needs mangers.coaches trainers ,washers ,attendants ,do you want Pakistani team to go like beggars ?
why bother? no medals anyway.
So what is the role of the 16 officials again? Enjoying a paid vacation at the expense of taxpayers?
make us proud guys...stay away from fixing..
23 players and 16 officials ! Why not make it one official for each player ! 23 officials for 23 players wouldnt harm us much ! (seriously like we are crazy or what)