LAHORE: The Pakistan Olympic Association has sought a monthly scholarship of US$650 each for 12 athletes in various disciplines from International Olympic Committee’s Solidarity programme for their preparations for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

The scholarship lasts for 36 months, meaning that the total amount a single players will earn would be US$23,400, POA secretary Khalid Mahmood said.

Payments are effective from Jan 1, 2022 and the agreements between the athletes, POA and the Olympic Solidarity are due to be signed soon before the scholarships are activated.

The most prominent athlete in the list is javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who finished fifth in

the competition at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

Arshad’s name has been included after the disaffiliation of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan from the POA, which came after three runners returned positive dope tests at the South Asian Games in 2019.

Khalid said that Arshad’s department Wapda would sign the solidarity contract instead of the AFP.

Other athletes in the list include wrestlers Mohammad Inam and Mohammad Bilal as well as weightlifter Nooh Dastagir Butt and badminton star Mahoor Shahzad.

Swimmer Jehanara Nabi and table tennis player Perniya Zaman Khan have also been named but the biggest presence is of the country’s shooters with five. They include Usman Chand , Gulfam Joseph, Anna Ibtisam, Kishmala Talat and Rasam Gull.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2022