The two-day event was due to feature athletes from four districts who would have contested 21 events. Photo: FILE
KARACHI: Owing to safety concerns of the travelling athletes, the Sindh Sports Board (SSB) was forced to postpone the Beach Games, which were scheduled to start today at the Sea View, Karachi.
The two-day event was due to feature athletes from four districts who would have contested 21 events. However, the killing of an MPA yesterday created unrest and forced the organisers to call of the event.
According to Khalid Rehmani, the organising secretary, new dates will be announced today.
“We have to look after the athletes,” Rehmani told The Express Tribune. “The law-and-order situation means they won’t be able to come to the venue.
“Many players would have come from far away areas and we don’t want to put them in danger. We couldn’t possibly hold the event according to the schedule.”
Meanwhile, the issue of parallel bodies also surfaced with Rehmani saying that the SSB was free to organise events in Karachi. While the Sindh Olympic Association (SOA), led by Mudassir Arain, had already staged the Karachi Beach Games last month, Rehmani said his body was recognised by the government and could therefore organise events as well.
“It’s unfortunate that there are so many parallel bodies, but Karachi is a free city and we have been affiliated with the SSB. The government recognises the body, so we can hold our own event.”
However, he clarified that despite the differences, local athletes were free to compete in the event.
“We’re not stoping anyone from participation even if they took part in the Beach Games last month.”
The SSB Beach Games will include events such as mini marathon, volleyball, tennis, kabaddi, judo, sepaktakraw, wrestling, biathlon, jujitsu, traditional games vanjvati and malakhra.
A local female sepaktakraw player Rubina Naz said the players were in fact pleased with participating inanother event.
“I’m not concerned since I know that I’m getting an event to perform in,” said Naz. “As athletes we just want to show off our talent.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2013.
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