October 06, 2008	Monday	Shawwal 06, 1429

LAHORE, Oct 5: Pakistan will try to accomplish a memorable hat-trick when Dhaka hosts the South Asian Games (SAG) Football Tournament in December next year.

Bangladesh has been awarded the 11th edition of the Games the exact dates for which will be decided by the South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) after consultation with the affiliated member countries.

Bangladesh has also chosen golf and wrestling as their two host quota disciplines for the event. The decision was taken at Bangladesh Olympic Association’s (BOA) EXCO at Kurmitola Golf Club, with BOA President Gen. Moeen U. Ahmed chairing.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that the federation’s main objective next year is to complete an SAG hat-trick.

“We will develop a strong Pakistan Under-23 team with an eye on the third gold after our 2004 and 2006 triumphs. Pakistan became the most successful nation at the Games’ 24-year history by virtue of those two triumphs. We earlier won the gold in 1989 and 1991. And I feel happy that the team’s last two triumphs under Jaffar Khan and Mohammad Essa happened during my reign,” he said.

The SAG nations at their Dhaka moot last February finalised 15 disciplines while asking BOA to choose two more to take the total to 17. The ones selected initially comprise athletics, swimming, boxing, football, weightlifting, shooting, Taekwondo, karate, Wushu, handball, archery, table tennis, kabaddi, hockey and squash.

Formerly known as the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games and governed by the SAOC (formed in 1983), the South Asian Games are a biennial multi-sport event held among the athletes of South Asia. At present, SAG has eight members, namely, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

South Asian Games Football Gold Medallists:

Four golds: Pakistan (1989, 1991, 2004, 2006)

Three golds: India (1985, 1987, 1995)

Two golds: Nepal (1984, 1993)

One gold: Bangladesh (1999) — Agencies