ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has been recommended to prohibit retired Lt. Col. Shahjehan Mir, general secretary of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), from accompanying athletes on foreign tournament trips in the future.
A three-person committee that was tasked with looking into a recent incident involving two Pakistani athletes who were in the host city of Tehran but were unable to compete in the Asian Indoor Athletics Championship made its report on Monday.
The committee, led by PSB director general Mohammad Shahid, ordered Shahjehan’s punishment after pointing out AFP negligence.
The inquiry report stated that the PSB might not advise issuing a note of clearance for Lt Col (retired) Shahjehan Mir, Secretary General of the AFP, to serve as the “Manager” of an athletic team competing internationally. It was also suggested that, in accordance with AFP’s constitution, PSB could order AFP to launch an investigation right away and take harsh measures against the guilty party. The PSB and the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination may receive a copy of the inquiry report.
The committee also made clear that, in order to prevent similar unfortunate events in the future, PSB may give orders to all national sports federations defining the terms alongside references of the managers traveling overseas with their athletes to compete in international competitions, followed by a program of capacity building.
The investigation committee advised that “PSB could additionally ask all NSF to define the role of Managers and other officials in the PSB’s Performa for deploying Pakistan Sports Teams/Sports Person abroad” and indicated that the PSB board may discuss this issue at its upcoming meeting.
The PSB last week established the committee to look into Shajar Abbas and Jaffar Ashraf’s non-participation in the Championship after deeming the AFP’s reaction inadequate.
According to sources, the AFP secretary informed the inquiry committee that despite arriving at the Technical Information Center in the second session, the two athletes’ entrance were denied since it had moved from the hotel to the stadium, a 1.5-hour drive away.
He also informed the panel that athletes from two other nations had comparable circumstances. The committee did note, however, that the manager should have arrived early to register the athletes if the TIC had been moved from the hotel’s lobby to the stadium.
