LAHORE: The Pakistan sports contingent competing in the ongoing 13th South Asian Games in Kathmandu, despite all odds, have surpassed the medals tally of the last edition of the Games, held in Guwahati, India in 2016.

Pakistan Olympic Assoication (POA) President Lt. Gen. (retd.) Syed Arif Hasan, while congratulating the medals winners in Nepal, expressed hope that the country would fetch more medals in the upcoming events of the games in which competitions in athletics, boxing, handball, judo, kabaddi, squash, swimming, weightlifting, wrestling and wushu are to be held.

He said Pakistan, so far, had secured 14 gold medals of which six came from karate. “It is matter of pride for all of us that none of the karatekas are coming back empty hand.

“We are delighted to inform that Team Pakistan, despite all odds, has crossed the medals tally of the 12th South Asian Games which were held at Guwahati, India in 2016,” the POA president said in a press statement in Kathmandu. “The credit for this achievement goes to the recently held 33rd National Games in Peshawar, which concluded there just few days before the departure of the contingent to Nepal. And, therefore, most of the athletes have been in good form with good fitness levels. For this, the role of KPK government is appreciable for conducting the National Games in the best possible manner.

“All the units of the POA contributed significantly by training their athletes for the National Games which in turn resulted in an improved performance by all,” the POA president said.

‘Against all odds we have surpassed medals tally of 2016 Games’

It may be mentioned here that the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) could only hold a few days training camps before the departure of the SA Games contingent, while it has reportedly refused to pay the daily allowances to the players against the tradition.

“Exceptional performance by our athletes in the field of athletics, shooting, taekwondo and wushu has helped Team Pakistan to improve its score from the last South Asian Games held in 2016,” he lauded. “It is a good omen for the national sports and all of us should really be proud of our athletes and national sports federation, who despite paucity of resources, have done a commendable job,” the president said.

“Our athletes are not only delivering for Pakistan with international medals but are ensuring observance of Olympic Values to further the cause of the Olympic Movement in Pakistan. If Pakistan athletes were to be provided with the same facilities as being provided by other countries of South Asia like India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and by our neighbours like Iran and Afghanistan, then Pakistan athletes can be much more competitive and bring more laurels for the country,” the POA president concluded.

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2019