23-Jan-2013
Pakistan Today Sports
LAHORE - President Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt Gen retd, Syed Airf Hasan has termed the action of Pakistan Sports Board for putting POA under an ad-hoc committee “illegal” and a move to draw an action from International Olympic Committee.
“We have not yet been officially communicated regarding the action of PSB for placing us under ad-hoc and there is no valid justification for it and PSB cannot take such an action against the national Olympic committee,” he told a news conference here on Tuesday at Pakistan Olympic House. The POA Chief said it so unfortunate that efforts are being made to push POA to the wall by adopting different tactics to harm the interest of sports in Pakistan.
“Such an action is against the Olympic movement and charters of IOC and Olympic Council of Asia and we will not accept it as we are the elected body recognized by IOC and OCA,” he asserted. Gen said POA is actively playing its due role in the development of sports and it was following the Olympic chapter in true and spirit. “ We will resist any such move (to impose ad-hoc) as we have the backing of the IOC and OCA on this issue and both the international bodies are well aware of the situation as we are informing them on regular basis”, said Gen Arif. POA President said they will inform IOC regarding the latest development and it is the IOC which will decide its course of action in the prevailing circumstances. To a question, he said, the ad-hoc committee has no power or authority to declare the recently concluded National Games in Lahore null and void and to re-organise the games at Islamabad in the current year as announced. “According to Para 5-D of the National Sports Policy, POA is the only supreme sports institution to announce the dates of the national games and to allocate them to a province or a service or a department which is affiliated with POA and any committee has no legal authority to allocate the games”, said POA President. Gen Arif rejected a questioner of holding the fresh elections of POA by the ad-hoc committee. “How can they do so, they have no authority for conducting the elections of the national Olympic committee which is a democratically elected house,” he added. He said the matter of implementing the sports policy is pending in two apex courts, the supreme court of Pakistan and Lahore High Court where certain issues and points are under review or appeal.
“It is shocking that when the matter is in two courts, how can ad-hoc could be imposed on POA , under which law or authority and all these actions are aiming to disrupt the smooth functioning of the POA which will not bow down to these pressure tactics,” he added.
Ad-hoc on Pakistan Olympic
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has put ad-hoc on Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and formed a committee to run the affairs of the national Olympic committee. Sources in PSB said here on Tuesday that Pakistan Basketball Federation President Asif Bajwa will head the ad-hoc committee. The POA was headed by Lt Gen retd Syed Arif Hasan and Mohammad Khalid Mahmood as its Secretary. |
