KARACHI: In a bid to ensure participation of judo, cycling and athletics in the 33rd National Games Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has taken an initiative to resolve the pressing issues of these three federations.The POA’s stand is that the provincial associations, which are affiliated with these three internationally-recognised federations, are not recognized by the relevant provincial Olympic associations.The first step was successful when last Thursday a three-member mediation committee of POA resolved the issue of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judo Association. The POA secretary Khalid Mehmood, KP Olympic Association’s secretary Zulfiqar Butt and PJF secretary Mansoor Ahmed were members of the mediation committee which resolved the issue.Two parallel provincial judo associations existed in KP. The committee inducted a few members of the provincial judo association affiliated with the KP Olympic Association in the PJF-recognised KP judo association.Sources said Naeem Jan (secretary), Bushra Afridi (joint secretary), Amir (joint secretary), Bilal Shafi (joint secretary), Syed Usman Shah (senior vice-president), Shah Faisal (vice-president) and Noor Shah Afridi (vice-president) were inducted in the PJF-recognised provincial unit. These people previously belonged to the KP Judo Association which was affiliated with the KP Olympic Association but not affiliated with the PJF.There is now only one KP Judo Association headed by Masood Ahmed. It has now become an affiliated unit of both KP Olympic Association and PJF. Previously KP Olympic Association did not recognise Masood-led association which was affiliated with the PJF.KP Olympic Association’s president Syed Aqil Shah also played a key role in the whole episode. Sources said the differences were resolved and both the groups embraced each other. A source said Aqil Shah appreciated the step. He said that it was the first step towards a resolution of the dispute and hopefully associations in rest of the provinces would also follow suit.Sources said PJF president Col Junaid Alam also played a key role in the resolution of the dispute in KP. POA did not recognise PJF due to some legal issues despite the fact that the federation was affiliated with International Judo Federation (IJF).On July 25, another such effort would be made during a meeting in Lahore to resolve judo issues in Sindh and Punjab. In Balochistan only a single association exists which is affiliated with the PJF and Balochistan Olympic Association.The resolution of these issues in Sindh and Punjab would bring both the POA and PJF together. The PJF secretary Mansoor Ahmed, POA secretary Khalid Mehmood and the secretaries of Sindh Olympic Association (SOA) and Punjab Olympic Association would sit together as mediators to resolve judo issues in Sindh and Punjab.Meanwhile cycling issue will be discussed at Lahore on July 24. The mediation committee for cycling consists of Pakistan Cycling Federation’s (PCF) secretary Azhar Ali Shah, POA secretary Khalid Mehmood and they will be joined by the secretaries of the relevant provincial Olympic associations in case of the relevant provincial issues.The PCF has also convened an emergent general council meeting on July 25. The federation wants to take input of the house on the issues which will be discussed by the mediation committee.Similarly the mediation committee for resolving athletics issues carries Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) secretary Mohammad Zafar, POA secretary Khalid Mehmood. They will be joined by secretaries of the provincial Olympic associations.Sources said previously POA had informed AFP that there were issues only in Sindh and Balochistan. However, it has been learnt that in the recent letter which POA has written to the AFP it has been mentioned that all provinces have the issues. The AFP is also mulling an option to present the crux of the discussion of the mediation committee before its ExCo. The ExCo is expected to be convened immediately after the July 23 meeting of the mediation committee in Lahore.
from The News International - Sports https://ift.tt/2jWXK0n
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