Pakistan Olympic Association President Lt Gen retd Syed Arif Hasan said on Thursday that the POA was safeguarding the reputation of the country at the forum of International Olympic Committee but the undue interference on part of some quarters was aimed at drawing sanctions from the IOC to protect the Olympic movement and charter.
He was addressing a news conference here to apprise the mediamen on the latest developments on Olympic Movement and charter in Pakistan.
“We are showing extreme patience from the past one year but the way the Olympic movement and its charter are being violated by Pakistan Sports Board and a so-called illegal interim committee of the POA to further complicate the situation which has now reached its climax and can provoke the IOC to take disciplinary action against Pakistan,” he said.
Gen Arif said despite the existence of the legal and IOC approved setup of the POA, the announcement of holding elections of POA by the interim committee is the last grasp effort to force the IOC to come up with a disciplinary action to ensure that the IOC movement and its charter are well respected in Pakistan.
He said the IOC has taken serious view of the bogus national games and the backing of PSB in this regard and formation of parallel bodies in various disciplines. “These are the factors which IOC is minutely analyzing and if measures are not taken by the Government to defuse the situation then IOC will decide its course of action,” he asserted.
POA Chief briefly highlighted some directions of the IOC on the ongoing tussle between POA and its so-called interim committee. He also pointed out that apex courts in the country have given clear directions regarding the status of POA and they have also directed to the organizers of the illegal national games not to use the words ’32nd national games’.
“Our intentions are very clear and we want to elevate the image of our country besides safeguarding its reputation and that is the reason we are requesting the IOC not to come up with a disciplinary action against Pakistan as such a decision will put the future of games in danger and Pakistan will not be able to participate in any international event,” he added.
POA President appealed to the Prime Minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to look into the matter to resolve the issue amicably. ” He (The Prime Minister) is a keen lover of sports and we firmly believe that under his able leadership this issue can be resolved by taking all the stake holders into the confidence ,” he said adding ” We have prepared a detailed presenting in this regard in which IOC point of view has also been included and if given a chance we can apprise the Prime Minister on this important issue which relates to the future of sports in Pakistan.”
Gen Arif said as per the direction of the supreme court of Pakistan the general council meeting of the POA will be held on August 3. The meeting will approve rules and regulations of elections of POA and will also decide to which extent the re-elections of the POA can be held.
