LAHORE, Dec 5: Around 700 athletes and technical officials will feature in the first Inter-Provincial Games to be held in Lahore from Dec 19 to 21.
Each province would have a contingent of approximately 160 players and officials, Punjab Olympic Association secretary, Idrees Haider Khawaja said on Friday.
All four provinces have confirmed their participation and host Punjab will provide free boarding and lodgings to all the contingents, Idrees said.
He said that 11 disciplines had been included in the games including athletics, boxing, cycling, gymnastic, karate, volleyball, swimming, weightlifting, wrestling, football and baseball.
Idrees, explained that hockey was not included because the players of that game had enough exposure.
“ We included only those games in which players are having less opportunities”, he said.
He said that a total amount of Rs 3 million had been estimated for the cost of the games.
He said that so far no sponsors were available to assist the organisers.
Asked if dates could be changed again as they clashed with the World Open squash tournament which is being held in Lahore from Dec 12 to 21, Idrees said that the organisers had no intention to change the dates due to any other sporting event.
Earlier, the games were scheduled from Dec 5 to 7, but deferred due to the Raiwind Tableeghi programme, he said.
He said that no player of those departments which are affiliated with Pakistan Olympic Association was allowed to represent his respective province in the games.
He claimed that Punjab province had set up their training camps for which Rs 20,000 had also been granted by the Punjab Sports Board (PSB) to each participating association.
Following are the disciplines and theie respective venues:
Athletics: Wapda Sports Complex.
Boxing: National Sports Training and Coaching Centre, Ferozepur Road, Lahore.
Cycling: Cycling Velodrome, (opposite Gaddafi Stadium).
Gymnastic: Government Physical Education College, Feroze Pur Road, Gaddafi Stadium).
Karate: Government Physical Education College.
Volleyball: Iqbal Park Sports Complex.
Swimming: Lahore Gymkhana.
Weightlifting: Punjab University Old Campus.
Wrestling: National Sports Training and Coaching Centre.
Football: Punjab Stadium.
Baseball: Iqbal Park.