Sahi vows improvement after being elected POA president

New chief to visit IOC headquarters to clear ‘misunderstanding’.

KARACHI:

Backed by the government, the Pakistan Olympic Association held its election yesterday with Akram Sahi overwhelmingly gaining majority of the votes to win a four-year term with the body.

Sahi, who has been working as a president of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan but is likely to give up that role soon, won a total of 78 out of 87 votes that were casted in the elections.

Nadeem Aftab won seven votes, while another candidate for the POA presidency, squash legend Qamar Zaman, withdrew his nomination in favour of Sahi.

Khawaja Farooq Saeed was elected secretary general after receiving 69 votes, while his rival Rana Mujahid got just 11. Col (retired) Rana Shujat Ali got elected as the treasurer of the body — which was formed after an interim committee had dissolved the Arif-Hasan led POA last month.

The new POA body, however, will be under pressure with a suspension threat looming from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). But Sahi said he was confident that things will be sorted out and a conflict would be avoided with the world governing body.



“The POA will work hand in hand with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) because it is necessary to have better coordination between the two important bodies for promotion of sports in Pakistan,” Sahi told The Express Tribune. “At the same time we’ll also uphold the IOC charter because it has its own respect and importance as well. My first job will be to go to the IOC headquarters and brief their top brass on ground realities in Pakistan to end any misunderstandings that might exist.”

‘Focus will be on sports promotion not politics’

After months of turmoil, starting with a tussle between the Hasan-led POA and the PSB that eventually saw the formation of the POA Interim Committee, Sahi said it was important to start afresh.

“The focus needs to be on sports now. Politics and favouritism has plagued Pakistan sports for too long and it is necessary that we arrange as many events for our players as we possibly can.

“We would be looking to provide regular training camps to our athletes so that they remain in shape for global events.

“The POA will also give its feedback to the PSB over the performance of various sports federations so that grants can be released fairly.”

He also stated that the case of the federations, which were disaffiliated by the POA Interim Committee, could be reviewed provided they ‘supported the right people’.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2013.

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