LAHORE, Aug 5: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) on Monday wrote a letter to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) informing it about the extension of deadline for submitting the ‘expression of interest’ until Aug 15 if it wants to send team for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow.

“In continuation of our e-mails, it is informed that despite the PHF’s silence in the matter POA president retired Lt Gen Syed Arif Hasan has constantly been in touch with the Commonwealth Games organising committee for keeping the chance of Pakistan hockey team’s participation [in CW Games] alive,” the POA wrote in the letter.

“As a result, the Commonwealth Games organising committee vide their e-mail of today has advised to send the ‘expression of interest’ and the invitation will be subject to final confirmation by the CGF Executive Board agreeing to waive the provisions of the Games Manual in so far as the applicable timeline associated with lodging the initial ‘expression of interest.

“You are therefore once again requested to send your ‘expression of interest’ in the larger interest of athletes, supporters and enthusiasts of hockey by Aug 15, 2013,” read POA’s letter to the PHF.

Copies of the letter have also been dispatched to Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Mike Hooper, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, president and secretary of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Robert Vergouw, CGA Relations Manager, Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

It is pertinent to mention here that the administrative tussle among top sports institutions of the country — besides hurting other sports — has also jeopardised the participation of national hockey team in the 2014 Glasgow CW Games.

In the case of 2014 Glasgow Games, while the PHF wants permission from the federal government before giving the ‘expression of interest’ to the POA, the government doesn’t recognise the POA of Arif Hasan-headed POA. The government has formed its own POA led by Akram Sahi, which has no recognised international recognition.