National Sports Policy: Federations, sports board set for Oct 1 clash
Meeting to decide ad-hoc rule, suspension.
KARACHI:
Several sports federations in Pakistan are facing a possible ban and implementation of an ad-hoc system in place by the country’s sports board after a failure to execute the National Sports Policy.
The Inter-Provincial Coordination has called a meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board on October 1, which will be attended by top officials of sports federations. However, those federations’ secretaries and presidents, who are in their third tenure, have been overlooked and other officials have been asked to attend in their place.
The biggest sports body to be affected by this situation will be the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which stated that it is working under Fifa rules. Other federations who have been asked to put their house in order include softball, volleyball, karate, kabaddi, gymnastic, netball, weightlifting.
“These federations still have a few days to assure the PSB that they’ll be removing their ineligible secretaries and presidents,” an official close to the matter told The Express Tribune. “Otherwise, they’ll be suspended and the body will be put under an interim setup until new elections are held. There will be absolutely no compromise on this matter and even the provincial Olympic associations will have to follow it.”
The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has been at loggerheads with the PSB and IPC over the implementation of the national policy that bars officials who have already served two four-year tenures from holding the post again. The POA has stated that it is an independent body, which runs under rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) while their provincial associations are also independent.
Meanwhile, the official said that there are also plans to bring a no-confidence motion against POA President General (retd) Arif Hasan, who is in his third tenure.
“Hasan should at least follow the IOC charter which limits the IOC president from serving more than two tenures. He just doesn’t want to relinquish his post.”
IOC charter being misinterpreted: Arif
Meanwhile, Hasan stood firm on his stance.
“A wrong notion is being created intentionally to misguide people,” said Hasan. “The IOC charter does not stop me from holding the post because I am bound to obey the constitution of POA. I’m confident of continuing in the role.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2012.
Several sports federations in Pakistan are facing a possible ban and implementation of an ad-hoc system in place by the country’s sports board after a failure to execute the National Sports Policy.
The Inter-Provincial Coordination has called a meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board on October 1, which will be attended by top officials of sports federations. However, those federations’ secretaries and presidents, who are in their third tenure, have been overlooked and other officials have been asked to attend in their place.
The biggest sports body to be affected by this situation will be the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which stated that it is working under Fifa rules. Other federations who have been asked to put their house in order include softball, volleyball, karate, kabaddi, gymnastic, netball, weightlifting.
“These federations still have a few days to assure the PSB that they’ll be removing their ineligible secretaries and presidents,” an official close to the matter told The Express Tribune. “Otherwise, they’ll be suspended and the body will be put under an interim setup until new elections are held. There will be absolutely no compromise on this matter and even the provincial Olympic associations will have to follow it.”
The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has been at loggerheads with the PSB and IPC over the implementation of the national policy that bars officials who have already served two four-year tenures from holding the post again. The POA has stated that it is an independent body, which runs under rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) while their provincial associations are also independent.
Meanwhile, the official said that there are also plans to bring a no-confidence motion against POA President General (retd) Arif Hasan, who is in his third tenure.
“Hasan should at least follow the IOC charter which limits the IOC president from serving more than two tenures. He just doesn’t want to relinquish his post.”
IOC charter being misinterpreted: Arif
Meanwhile, Hasan stood firm on his stance.
“A wrong notion is being created intentionally to misguide people,” said Hasan. “The IOC charter does not stop me from holding the post because I am bound to obey the constitution of POA. I’m confident of continuing in the role.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 27th, 2012.