December 10, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 15, 1424

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LAHORE, Dec 9: The 29th National Games scheduled to be held in Quetta, remains uncertain as host Balochistan Olympic Association (BOA) has failed to assure Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) of the availability of infrastructure in the province.

POA secretary Mohammad Latif Butt told reporters after attending POA executive committee meeting that the BOA representative Afzal Khan told the meeting he was not in a position to give any deadline for the availability of infrastructure.

The Games were scheduled to be held last year but had to be postponed after BOA failed to convince POA it had proper infrastructure in place to hold them.

One of the prerequisites of the POA is that a swimming pool, a tartan track and a multi-purpose gymnasium hall is available for the games.

Latif pointed out that Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali had released a grant of Rs 50 million for developing infrastructure but extreme weather conditions were preventing them from starting work.

It would hopefully start in next March year and be completed by May 15, but a final decision in this connection ould be taken by the general council which would meet in Lahore on Dec 23.

Latif, however, said that POA might be hard pressed to delay National Games for another year for lack of infrastructure. “POA desires to develop infrastructure in the country through National Games as the country lags behind many nations in this vital area of sports.”

Latif had serious reservations over the selection of cantonment areas for building infrastructure in Balochistan. It would deprive poor athletes of practising there as they would have to pay Rs 8 per visit for entering cantonment areas. “ How can a poor athlete pay Rs 16 per day if he visit cantonment areas twice a day,” he asked.

He said that doping test would be compulsory for the first time in SAF Games to be held at Islamabad from March 29 to April 6, 2004. An anti-doping committee comprised of three representatives of the provincial Olympic associations and as many of departments would also be formed, he said.