Share this story!            

POA to evaluate performance of sports federations yearly

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will evaluate performance of the national sports federations yearly, stated Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan, POA president, during a press conference at the Olympic House here on Monday.

He said a modified national sports policy would be implemented shortly and added it was a wrong perception that the government had dropped the idea to enforce it. He said the main objection to the national sports policy was on the two-term tenure which barred the office bearers from contesting the elections for a third successive term. “We will bring in some changes in the policy after getting feedback from the concerned quarters.” He said the POA would exempt well-performing sports federations from tenure restrictions while a Pakistan Sports Trust (PST) will be functional in September to raise funds for sports development in the country.

Arif said some individuals had contributed a lot for the promotion of sports like Prof Anwar Chaudhry of boxing. “It would be totally unfair to ask someone like Mr Chaudhry to leave without taking into consideration the services rendered by him. We need people like him for the development of sports,” he maintained.

Nevertheless, he made it clear that restrictions would remain on those federations whose performance was not up to the mark. The POA chief said that a strategy would soon be introduced to promote sports at the grassroots level, especially in educational institutions with the cooperation of Pakistan Army’s sports facilities throughout the country. Responding to a question, he said the POA was taking measures to impart best possible training to its athletes for the Islamic Games by sending them abroad. Arif said the POA had donated $4000 to Sri Lanka Olympic Association to help the tsunami victims.

Home | Sport

Share this story!