ISLAMABAD: While vowing to steer the country’s sports sector out of the current crisis, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) director general retired Col Asif Zaman on Monday said the main focus of the improvement plan would be Olympic sports.

“We will take every possible step to bring marked improvement in Pakistan’s sports sector, which has faced a number of issues and challenges for years,” Col Asif said while addressing a press conference here at the Pakistan Sports Complex.

“We have decided to prioritise Olympic sports. Though we will also support other games, but [now] our focus is on Olympic sports,” the DG said, adding he had also told the PSB to bring visible improvement.

“We have also decided to improve the condition of our sports facilities.

“I have also requested the government of Cuba for a few boxing coaches to train our boxers,” he added.

Col Asif said fans want some events of the 2023 South Asian Games to be held in Peshawar and Islamabad instead of the entire gala being staged in Lahore.

Pakistan is going to host the 14th edition of the seven-nation regional gala next year. The country in the past organised the Games twice, in 1989 and 2004.

“The Pakistan Olympic Association will hold the regional sports gala and [in this regard] the PSB will fully cooperate with the POA to make the Games successful,” the DG said.

After Eidul Azha, he said, a crucial meeting would be held in Islamabad to take some important decision regarding the 2023 SAG.

Col Asif, who is a former Asian junior squash champion, said as per the initial plan the entire SAG would be held in Lahore, but added that based on people’s demand he wanted some disciplines of the Games be organised in Peshawar and Islamabad.

Talking about his meetings with various diplomats, he said the PSB would hold sport events to celebrate Chinese Communist Party’s centenary while from Aug 14 to next August, many sports events would be organised to provide maximum chances to sportspersons to showcase their skills.

To a query about the Olympic Games, the DG said the PSB would funds tickets of 10 players and three coaches.

“We have already paid around 90 per cent fund in the shape of bank guarantee to the POA for tickets of 13 persons,” he said.

Talking about the ongoing crisis in Pakistan football which was banned by FIFA in April 2021 due to a complex dispute between Ishfaq Group and FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee, the DG said that things were now on the right track and soon Pakistan’s football fans in this regard would hear some “good news”.

Meanwhile talking about his appointment as PSB’s director general, Col Asif said after a competitive process he was hired by the government based on his vast experience of 40 years. “Before joining Pakistan Army I was a junior Asian squash champion in 1983 while in Army I served at the sports directorate.”

“Having gained a decades-long experience, I want to share the fruits of this experience with the sportspersons of this country and for betterment of the PSB,” the director general said.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2021