QUETTA:Balochistan Archery Association and Balochistan Badminton Association, Sunday called on the authorities to include technical officials of BAA and BDA in the management committees of Badminton and Archery games included in the 34th national games, 2023 and conduct transparent trials of Badminton and Archery players afresh enabling players of Archery and Badminton to compete in 34th national games.
These and similar other demands were made in the protest demonstration held under the auspices of Balochistan Archery Association and Balochistan Badminton Association outside Quetta Press Club.
Addressing the protest demonstration, speakers said that technical officials of Balochistan Archery Association and Balochistan Badminton Association had neither been given representation in “Management Committees” of Archery and Badminton games constituted for 34th national games scheduled to be held from 15-23 May, 2023 in Quetta nor were trials of players affiliated with Balochistan Archery Association and Balochistan Badminton Association for taking part in the 34th national games, 2023 conducted. “Balochistan Archery Association is a registered sports association not only with Sports and Youth Affairs Department, Balochistan, but also registered with Pakistan Archery Federation headed by Chaudry Anwar Zaib Khan as President and Wisal Muhammad Khan as Secretary General, a registered federation of archery game with Pakistan Sports Board, Islamabad, but a registered archery association of Balochistan province had not been given representation in the “Management Committee” of archery game included in the 34th national games, 2023”, they regretted. They called on the authorities to include technical officials of BAA and BDA in the management committees of Badminton and Archery games included in the 34th national games, 2023 and conduct transparent trials of Badminton and Archery players afresh enabling players of Archery and Badminton to compete in 34th national games. Protest demonstration was addressed by Mirwais Khan, President, Balochistan Badminton Association and Syed Bilal Ahmed, senior Associate Secretary, Balochistan Archery Association. Chanting slogans in support of their demands, protesters dispersed peacefully.
When PPI contacted the authorities of Balochistan Sports Board, Quetta they said that all sports associations had been taken on board for participating in 34th national games to be held in Quetta. It is pertinent to mention that 32 sports disciplines have been finalized by Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) for the 34th national games to be held in Balochistan after nineteen (19) years while three exhibition matches, including canoe and kayak, futsal, throwball and women cricket, have also been finalized as exhibition sports during 34th national games, however, POA clarified that competitions of exhibition matches shall not be recognized as a part of 34th national games as well as national championship.
Communication and Works Department, Government of Balochistan is carrying out repair and renovation work of the venues for 34 national games at Ayub Stadium, Quetta, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta, Tameer-e-Nau College, Quetta and Qayyum Papa football ground, Quetta.
32 sports disciplines, including archery (men and women), athletics (men and women), badminton men and women), baseball (men), basketball (men and women), bodybuilding (men), boxing (men and women), cycling (men and women), football (men and women), golf (men and women), gymnastics (men), handball (men and women), hockey (men and women), judo (men and women), kabaddi (men), karate (men and women), rugby (men and women), rowing (men and women), sailing (men and women), shooting (men and women), squash (men and women), softball (women), swimming (men and women), table tennis (men and women), taekwondo (men and women), tennis (men and women), tug of war (male), volleyball (men and women), weightlifting (men and women), wrestling (male), wushu (men and women) and fencing (men and women, medals shall not be counted for Quaid-e-Azam trophy), have been included in 34th national games.