The programme duration ranges from three months to two years and Sahi confirmed that the IAAF President Lamine Diack has set goals for wild-card relying nations to be able to achieve qualification for the World Championships and the Olympics.
“The athletes will get training at International High Performance centres where all expenses will be borne by the IAAF,” Sahi told The Express Tribune, before adding that the athletes will also be given a monthly stipend.
“I have time before the end of September to think about who we send. We have good athletes in the form of Liaqat Ali, Imran Niazi and Rabia Ashiq and this programme can help them transform from mere participants to genuine contenders.”
Sahi went to the London Olympics with an aim to interact with top officials, in order to seek assistance for the national athletes and their training programmes.
“I had fruitful meetings with Diack and the Director Development Elio Locatelli and have signed an MoU with the IAAF of introducing athletes at youth level in educational institutions.”
Sahi said that he requested Locatelli to help Pakistan groom coaches as well and the official had assured of sending a qualified coach to Pakistan to conduct a basic coaching course once the dates are agreed.
Pakistan failed to make an impression in the Olympics with Liaqat (100m) unable to qualify for the main event while Rabia finished last in her 800m heat.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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It will be better to concentrate on sports we're good at (apart from Hockey) such as Boxing and Wrestling, which we do good at commonwealth and asian level and which can be further improved at the olympics level. There are 13 gold medals available in boxing and 17 available in wrestling in the olympics, compared to just 2 in hockey. These two sports we are the best at, apart from hockey, so lets concentrate on these sports and win a few medals every olympics at least. Focusing on running or swimming won't bring us any medals.
it's a good chance. Pak team did not do well in london but there are still many international level athletes in Pakistan. some athletes are younger but play well in different games, some of them even reach their personal best in international games. those who have much potentiality to promote should be considered and given more chances of better training and participating international competition to get experiences.
Pakistan needs to invest in its sportsmen (and women). There is no other way to compete at the highest level. There is no other way around. I pity at people who question/criticize these moves; they have no idea where the rest of the world has reached.
Are they planning to get trained by Sunny Leone in India ,just like Our great Cricket Umpire Rauf.who is a great expert of Maiden ball practicing ?