July 10, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 6, 1429

LAHORE, July 9: The Punjab Olympic Association (POA) has started taking steps to discourage the formation of parallel bodies in the province.

President of the Punjab Olympic Association Syed Shahid Ali said at a press conference on Wednesday that the trend of parallelism in sports association was increasing as some vested interests wanted to indulge in such affairs for their own personal gains.

Parallelism in different sports bodies exists in different provincial bodies which are not not accepted by the POA are affiliated with the National Olympic Association.

“Only those bodies which are affiliated with us for the last many years are genuine,” he said.

Shahid, who is also IOC’s representative in Pakistan warned that such practice was not in the interest of the Pakistan sports as the international body had been taking strict action against the violation of its rules.

“The NOC of Iraq was disaffiliated by the IOC due to certain reasons.

“As an IOC’s representative I have no authority to interfere in the working of Pakistan Olympic Committee because I am here to look after the Olympic movement,” he stressed.