23 May 2004	Sunday	03 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, May 22: President Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt. Gen. Arif Hasan admitted on Saturday the national sports policy was formulated unilaterally without taking into confidence the quarters concerned.

"The government and POA had not coordinated on sports policy, hence the conflict continuing for last three years," he told a press conference after the POA executive committee meeting.

He hoped that with better coordination the POA and the sports ministry would soon be able to resolve problems. He said that the committee had empowered him to discuss with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) the issue of stoppage of annual grants, that remain suspended for two years now.

The board had stopped grants to the federations after refused to implement sports policy.

The federal government was earmarking Rs 300 million for sports in the budget for 2004-05, increasing it from Rs 6.5 million. Most of the amount would be spent on the development of infrastructure, he added.

He said that he had not yet decided on any name as POA treasurer. The post remains vacant since the POA elections in March this year.

Arif said that Pakistan would send a contingent of 45 athletes and officials to the 28th Olympics Games to be held in Athens, Greece in August this year.

POA vice-president Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob has been nominated as Chef de Mission of the Olympics contingent. Col. (Retd) Yahya accompanies them as president, Muhammad Jehangir as administrator, Dr Waqar as doctor and Arif Siddiqi as secretary general.

Twenty-two persons including 16 hockey players and six officials form major part of the contingent followed by six boxers, Arif said hoping the country would be able to take part in the first Islamic Solidarity Games to be held in Saudi Arabia in April next year, in full force.

He said that Pakistan would tentatively field a contingent of 146 players and officials to compete in 11 games.

Tentative Pakistan contingent for Islamic Games comprises athletics (16 players, four officials), swimming (12-3), karate (12-2), weightlifting (8-2), taekwondo (8-2), table tennis (5-1), volleyball (12-3), football (20-4), tennis (5-1), handball (12-2) and basketball (12-2).

Arif expressed hope the disputes between the three sports federations (basketball, badminton and table tennis) would be resolved soon.

Meanwhile, Arif Hasan claimed that his induction into PCB's advisory council as a member would not affect his performance as POA boss.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, Arif said that he did not consider the post in the advisory council a tough one since the board had an established working system.

When informed that POA's rules stipulate that its office-bearers must confine themselves to only one sports federation, Arif said since cricket was a non-Olympic sport. the rule did not apply to him.