The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has directed the concerned officials of Army, Air Force, Navy, Wapda, HEC, Railways and Police Sports Directorates/Boards to not to participate in the so-called National Athletics Championship, being held from May 24 at Islamabad.
In a letter addressed to the above POA affiliates, with copy to the secretaries general of the four provincial and FATA, the POA has reminded them that the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) had been suspended through a unanimous decision of the POA’s General Council in its meeting held on February 12, 2013 “with immediate effect”.
The secretaries of the Olympic Association of Balochistan, KPK, Punjab, Sindh and FATA have been asked to direct concerned provincial athletics association to desist from taking part in the said Athletics Championship, said a spokesman of POA here on Wednesday.
The POA letter of May 21, 2013 states: The suspension was immediately notified vide Letter No POA-092 dated February 12, 2013“specifically on account of the AFP president and Secretary’s categorical denial of the authority of the Pakistan Olympic Association and rejection of the directions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)”, and also subsequent “attempts to illegally take over the operations of the POA in collusion with other individuals and associations.”
While directing the above organizations to refrain from participating in an event of a suspended organization that has been in violation of the POA’s constitution and the IOC Charter, the letter signed by the POA President, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Syed Arif Hasan has also warned the addressees that taking part in the said championship could have its adverse fallout. “It [the participation] would be non compliance of the decision of General Council of POA” – the supreme national sporting body – and “would be tantamount to action as contained in Article VI-6 (v) of the POA Constitution”.
