KARACHI, Oct 11: The affiliated units of the Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) heaved some sigh of relief as an amount of over Rs0.8 million would be dispersed among them next week as token money for uplift of sports in the province in addition to some Rs0.3 million which has been set aside for training camps for next month’s third Inter-provincial games slated at Peshawar.

“Each association will get a cheque of Rs25,000 while a daily allowance at the rate of Rs50 for 320 players and officials for 20-day camp has been sanctioned,” the SOA president, Dr Mohammad Ali Shah told members amidst applause while presiding over the first general body meeting at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium on Friday night. The general body was preceded by executive committee meeting.

The camps in preparation for the Peshawar games will run from Oct 15 to Nov 3.

The SOA president said he was surprised that no funds were released to the associations for the last 10 to 12 years.

“It’s just a humble beginning and things will improve in the days to come,” he observed.

Dr Shah said he was impressed to learn that Sindh attained fourth position on the medals table in the last National Games and hoped the athletes would also deliver at the Peshawar games.

Earlier, three disciplines – basketball, throwball and softball – were granted affiliation raising the strength of SOA’s units from 29 to 32. This is besides disputes in cycling and athletics.

“A committee of technical officials will select cyclists and athletes for the Inter-provincial games if the issue is not resolved by then,” SOA secretary Ahmed Ali told Dawn.

Earlier, the two bodies adopted the revised model constitution which is in line of the POA.

The meeting, among other matters, inducted a lady vice president Rehana Saif, EDO Community Development, CDGK, who is president of Sindh Kabaddi Association, four associate secretaries — Syed Mahfoozul Haq, Arif Faheem, Afreen Fatima and Sana Ali and five members in the executive committee — Abdul Nasir, Syed Saeed Jamil, Akhtar Khan Durrani, Zahoor Ahmed and Shahnaz Najam.

The meeting also observed Fateha for the departed soul of former POA president, Syed Wajid Ali Shah, who died sometime back.—Sports Correspondent