POA seeks budget estimates from national federations for 14th South Asian Games

The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) on Wednesday advised national federations to submit their estimated budget for the 14th South Asian Games which Pakistan is supposed to host later this year.

In the virtual meeting, the POA told the federations to give complete details of all the requirements for the biennial event so that the data could be shared with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

A POA source told Nukta that they are preparing a format and according to that the federations will give their details so that the things could be handled properly.

“There are several requirements like the event conduction expenses, the persons to be boarded at hotels, how many technical delegates will come, relevant equipment and camp duration etc,” the source said.

The source said that the POA chief Arif Saeed had been asked by the state to submit such details of the federations so that further steps could be taken.

The source said that federations will first satisfy the POA with the necessary details and then the data would be shared with the government.

Recently the newly-elected POA supremo and renowned industrialist Arif Saeed held a crucial meeting with the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and both discussed the 14th South Asian Games. The IPC Ministry and PSB top officials were also present on the occasion.

It was a positive meeting which has enhanced the chances of hosting the biennial spectacle latter this year.

“The things are progressing relating to South Asian Games and that is why we conducted the online meeting with the national federations today,” the POA source said.

Allotted to Pakistan in 2019 during the 13th South Asian Games Pakistan failed to hold the vital event due to political and financial issues.

In the previous POA regime state was on the collision course with the NOC but after Arif Saeed’s accession to the POA’s throne now the working relationship between the state and POA will be fine and such matters like holding the 14th South Asian Games will be handled smartly.

Lahore and Faisalabad will host most of the events during the South Asian Games while Faisalabad will host handball event.

This will be the third time that Pakistan will be hosting the region’s mega spectacle. The nation has already hosted this spectacle in 1989 and 2004 in Islamabad.

Lahore will act as Games Secretariat. Before announcing the actual schedule, the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) will send a delegation to Pakistan to inspect various facilities for the Games.

The venues and disciplines have already been tentatively finalized.