AFP in, PBSA out of PSB Board

ISLAMABAD: In an unexpected move, President Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Ehsanur Rehman Mazari has withdrawn Pakistan Billiard and Snooker Association’s nomination from the PSB Board replacing it with the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) as the second federation.

Minister for IPC has confirmed to ‘The News’ that using his powers as the President of PSB, AFP has been included on the PSB Board.

“We have included AFP on the Board in place of Snooker federation subject to the fulfillment of rules 2 and 5 of the constitution of the PSB,” Minister said.

Now the cycling and athletics federation have been picked to be nominees of the federations on the PSB Board. Both these federations are not on good terms with the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA). The POA headed by Lt Gen (rtd) Syed Arif Hasan has already disaffiliated the AFP following the doping inquiry while the cycling federation has never been in good relations with the POA considering their non-compliance.

With the 14th South Asian, now to be held in March 2024, approaching fast, there is a greater fear that POA and the government may pursue a different route, resulting in yet another confrontation.

The POA has already communicated to the PSB that the Board formation is against the Olympic Charter and unless and until it would be revisited the POA would not become part of it.

The inclusion of disaffiliated federation in the PSB board will further broaden the difference between the PSB and POA.

It is also surprising to see that one of the best performing federations PBSA was not allowed to attend a single meeting of the PSB Board. Making this federation part of the PSB Board was an encouraging sign as it was meant to recognize the services of result-producing federations.