Peshawar—Under the directives of the Governor NWFP Owais Ahmad Ghani a contingent of 165 players including females would take part in 144 different events of the 31st National Games, commencing from March 25-31 here.
This was stated by Director Sports FATA Faisal Jamil Shah while addressing in a meet the press of Sarhad Sports Writers Association here at media center of the Games on Friday.
The events in which FATA contingent will take part comprising Badminton (Men-Women), Table Tennis (Men-Women), Athletics (Men-Women), Taekwondo (Men-Women), Judo (Men-Women), Boxing (Men), Cycling (Men-Women), Bodybuilding (Men), Weightlifting (Men), Volleyball (Men), Swimming (Men). He disclosed that the Governor is very keen to have full participation in the Games. It had ensured that the players would have all facilities for the players during the camps besides participation in the games. Faisal Jamil Shah said that they have selected the teams on merit and organized tournaments in different games before short-listing the teams for the camps. Now final selection would be made only among the camp trainees, he added.
He said during the camp training, they hired the services of qualified coaches like Abdul Rahim (Volleyball), Jaffar Khan and Abid Khan (Athletics), Roidad Khan (Table Tennis), Irfan Khan (Badminton). Faisal Jamil expressed the hope that FATA players would win medals in athletics and volleyball besides they have good chances of medals in martial arts games. He also promised on behalf of the Governor NWFP to give cash incentives to the medals winners’ players.
He disclosed that 12 players of volleyball team are hailing from North Waziristan Agency while the rest of belonging from Mohmand and Bajaur when great volleyball talent existed. For Badminton players and table tennis players are hailing from Bajaur and Khyber Agency while swimmers belonging from Khurram, Mohmand and Bajaur Agencies. In weightlifting the players are hailing from FR Bannu, North Waziristan Agency while they have good talent of football in North Waziristan and South Waziristan Agencies and they were giving chance to represent FATA.
He said usually they have a grant of 16 million for sports but this time only 6 million grants was given to the Directorate of Sports FATA, which is not sufficient for preparing the players for each and every event including holding camps and competitions.
He said work of construction of sports infrastructure has already been completed in different agencies. Now we have also sent a proposal for enrolling sports officers in every agency like the provinces for boosting sports activities, he said.—APP
