November 15, 2002	Friday	Ramazan 9, 1423

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LAHORE, Nov 14: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has made it clear that tours undertaken by its high-ups were not sponsored by Pakistan Sports Board (PSB),

“ We were never sponsored by PSB for a trip aborad for participating in a sporting event or attending any meeting at any international forum“, Muhammad Latif Butt, Secretary, POA said Thursday.

He quoted his own example and said during the past 12 years he as the Secretary General of the POA never sought PSB’s financial help for going abroad for attending any sports events, including Olympics, Commonwealth or Asian Games. The same was the case of POA President, Syed Wajid Ali Shah.

“ I am installed in various commissions or committees of international sports federations and I have always travelled on their invitation and expense”, said Butt who is the Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia.

POA official said after his election as Vice President, OCA he toured aborad on OCA’s invitations.

PSB has accused POA and its high ups for using all the major international sports events as “joyrides” and said POA officials were keen to attend Olympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games by using their decades long influence.

“We never went aborad on joyrides and such claims are wrong and simply a propaganda against the POA”, he said.

He said that POA President, Syed Wajid Ali has always travelled on his own, no matter whether it was attending a meeting or going to a major sports event.

Butt claimed POA rather helped PSB in saving huge foreign exchange by raising their collective voice with other National Olympic Committees to provide free hospitality to Pakistan in the last Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

He said POA fought at international forums to benefit Pakistan during major international sports to save foreign exchange.—APP