Going south?

Pakistan’s sports authorities are hoping to host the thrice-postponed South Asian Games early next year but prospects continue to look bleak for the eight-nation spectacle.

The 14th South Asian Games was supposed to take place in 2021 but was moved to 2023 due to Covid-19. The event was postponed again and scheduled for 2024 but now it has been learnt that the Games will take place in February 2025.

False hopes?

The South Asian Olympic Association (SOAC) has given a go-ahead for the Games to be held next year but investigations conducted by Nukta.com reveal that, at best, there is a big chance that the event will either be postponed again or moved to some other country.

That’s because Pakistan’s sport authorities continue to show a lack of seriousness in preparing for the Games.

Pakistan were awarded the hosting rights to the 14th South Asian Games at the previous edition of the event held in Nepal from December 1-10, 2019. At that time, the news generated excitement in the country's sports circles. Pakistan last hosted the South Asian Games back in 2004 after having staged them for the first time in 1989. However, bureaucratic red-tape together with lack of sufficient funds and poor coordination between the various sports bodies have dogged the project since day one. Things have only worsened following political uncertainty and economic upheavals in the country.

Initially there were differences between the government officials at the IPC Ministry, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) even on the venues for the Games. PSB and the IPC Ministry were in favour of Islamabad as a single venue just like it was back in 1989 and 2004. Later, it was decided to host it in major cities of the Punjab. But now, the idea is to stage it in just Lahore and Islamabad.

Too costly?

Due to a long delay in hosting the event and the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee, the costs have apparently doubled from the initial estimates. The government had allocated funds for the Games but a big part of that money has already been spent apparently on infra-structure. The government had allocated a budget of Rs9 billion which was later slashed to 7Rs7 billion. Experts fear that this amount will not be enough to host the event which will feature more than 5000 athletes and officials from the eight member nations.

Will it be a big setback for Pakistan if the event is relocated?

There is a clear and present danger that SAOC might strip Pakistan of the hosting rights and give it to Sri Lanka, hosts of the 15th edition. Such a development would be a big setback for Pakistan sports, already going through a lean patch. At the 2019 event, Pakistan finished a disappointing fourth behind India, hosts Nepal and Sri Lanka with a total of 128 medals including 30 gold, 41 silver and 57 bronze. With a home advantage, Pakistan could land a much bigger tally like it did in the two Games held in its own backyard. That's not the only reason why Pakistan should make sure that it doesn't have to give up the hosting rights. Once strapped of the rights, Pakistan would be highly unlikely to host the event any time in the near future.