"We will be internationally humiliated this time, just because of the [POA-PSB] conflict," says PTBF secretary.
According to Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) Secretary Muhammad Sarwar, the team was scheduled to participate in the indoor event in Incheon with Iran, Thailand, India, Korea, Japan and Turkmenistan. But the PKF is yet to receive a response from either the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) or the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) despite the confirmation letter from the Korean organisers.
“We’re just waiting for a development. As for now, the team is not going,” Sarwar told The Express Tribune. “We’re silent because of the ongoing POA and PSB dispute. We need to get the NOCs and the funds to travel to Korea. I really can’t comment on the situation at the moment.”
Echoing Sarwar’s views, Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation (PTBF) Secretary Ijazur Rehman said that his five-member team has received the accreditation cards for the Indoor Games but funds have not been released due to the POA-PSB tussle.
“We will be internationally humiliated this time, just because of the conflict,” said Rehman. “Our participation has been confirmed but I’m afraid that our teams will be absent from the Asian Indoor Games. The POA and PSB will keep fighting but it’s the athletes who will suffer. The players have been practising for four months and it’s disappointing to know that we might not be able to go.”
Similarly, the badminton, table tennis, chess and muay thai federations also lamented the state of affairs.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2013.
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