The National Olympics Committee has taken serious not of reports that would have extreme consequences.
In a statement, the POA (Pakistan Olympics Association) took cognisance of reports that quotes directly from the letter purportedly written by the federal joint secretary of the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mohammad Javed to the International Olympic Committee, the POA is constrained to remind the Government of Pakistan and the concerned ministry that consequences of such brinkmanship could really be grave.
The POA holds that the letter is yet another misguided attempt to undermine the authority of the National Olympic Committee, and is seriously detrimental to Pakistan sports, jeopardises the nation’s international standing and its participation in global and continental events – starting from the 4th Asian Indoor Games in June and Asian Youth Games in China in August 2013.
It is indeed preposterous. How can the federal ministry and its subsidiary Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) vouch to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on behalf of the so-called Interim Committee of the POA, an illegitimate body of its own creation– which was formed and ‘recognized’ with mala fide intent, through largely unrepresented participation – “would develop, promote and protect the Olympic Movement in the country in accordance with the Olympic charter” when the IOC already holds the said body in violation of its Olympic Charter?
This letter is another lame attempt that is only likely to displease the supreme International sporting authority, the IOC, as well as the highest continental body, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), both of whom have repeatedly reposed confidence in the legitimacy of the POA under Lt. Gen. (Retd) Syed Arif Hasan and have highlighted the illegitimacy of the so- called interim committee. Reportedly they had also written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to take up the issue through its Embassy in Switzerland, something the Foreign Office rightly avoided for the reason of the embarrassment it may have caused.
It is regrettable that the federal joint secretary has chosen to write the letter at a moment when it has become crystal clear where the IOC stands on such issues, the case of India being a prime example. The IOC makes it quite clear that an IOC suspended India has re-engaged with the global sporting authority on the IOC’s terms to end its sporting isolation. It is pertinent to point out here that even Kuwait remained under suspension for the same very reason. It was only re admitted into the Olympic fold after its parliament had passed a law upholding the Olympic Charter.
It would be to the benefit of the Government of Pakistan and the IPC ministry to carefully read the above mentioned press release, which states that the Indian government through its Sports Minister Jitendra Singh has reassured the IOC that it shall bring all its national legislation in line with IOC’s Charter.
The IOC for its part has already been on record and the Government of Pakistan is aware of its clear and unambiguous verdict communicated through IOC’s letter dated February 5. The letter states: “As per the Olympic Charter, the IOC is the sole body that is entitled to recognise a National Olympic Committee (in this case the Pakistan Olympic Association currently headed by its President, Lt Gen. (Retired) Syed Arif Hasan) and to authorise such organisation to designate, identify or refer to itself as a “National Olympic Committee”. In essence the existence of an NOC, as such, is therefore derived from its recognition by the IOC.
“Consequently, no organisation other than the POA, currently headed by its President, Lt. Gen. (Retired) Syed Arif Hasan, can claim to represent the POA or act on its behalf or play the role of an “NOC” in Pakistan. In particular, the IOC and OCA will not recognise any decision, resolution or action of any body or so-called “interim committee” claiming to act on behalf of the POA. Any such decision, resolution or action would indeed violate the Olympic Charter and would therefore be automatically null and void.
“It is regrettable to note that the repeated attempts of a number of individuals/bodies to act against the Olympic Charter and to destabilise the legitimate POA currently headed by its President, Lt Gen. (Retired) Syed Arif Hasan, do not serve at all the interests of the Olympic Movement and the athletes in Pakistan. On the contrary, this affects negatively the development of the Olympic Movement in Pakistan and has no effect but to expose unnecessarily the POA to protective measures from the IOC Executive Board, for which these individuals/bodies should be held responsible.”
