LAHORE: The Pakistan Sports Board will finalise the contingent for the Commonwealth Games in its Board meeting to be held in Islamabad on June 24.

PSB director general retired Col Asif Zaman told Dawn on Monday that although 104 players and officials have been proposed to travel to Birmingham for the quadrennial event, the PSB would bear the expenses of around 70 members.

“The Board meeting would also try to reduce the number of members, giving priority to those who had the chances to earn any medal or to improve their ranking,” Asif added.

He informed that the Pakistan Olympic Association has also been invited to attend the meeting to give a final shape to the contingent.

POA secretary Khalid Mahmood, however, said that the country’s Olympic committee will not attend the meeting as it had objections over the new PSB constitution which has clauses to interfere in affairs of the national sports federations especially regarding elections.

“The total strength of the contingent is 104 and it includes 30 officials and players of the national women’s cricket team, which has been sent by the Pakistan Cricket Board, to take part in the Games,” Khalid told Dawn. “The others would be entertained by the PSB, respective national sports federations and the POA.”

The Games are scheduled to run from July 28 to August 8.

At the last edition of the Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Pakistan managed to win one gold and four bronze medals.

Star wrestler Mohammad Inam managed to win the lone gold.

APP adds: And the Pakistan Wrestling Federation has high hopes from its wrestlers at both the Commonwealth and Islamic Games, which run from August 9 to 18 in Turkey.

PWF president Mohammad Arshad Sattar said on Monday that while chances of claiming gold medals weren’t very high but other medals would be attainable.

“The wrestlers couldn’t get the training they desired,” he said. “We wanted to train them abroad in Kazakhstan but it hasn’t materialised. But we aim to clinch meals in both events.”

He added six wrestlers would feature in both the events.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2022