CHENNAI: Relationships between India and Pakistan may have soured after the Pathankot attacks and India have also pulled out of a proposed bilateral cricket series. But Pakistan wants to send a big contingent to the South Asian Games to be held in Guwahati and Shillong next month.
Not only have organisers received around 3500 entries from eight nations including India, they have also got requests for 444 Pakistani players and officials. It has been learnt Pakistan are fielding participants in almost all the disciplines.
The Games Technical Conduct Committee vice-chairman Rakesh Gupta confirmed the IOA has received an entry list from the Pakistan Olympic Association, which has confirmed participation, as of now. “We’re in touch with them and they’re saying they will participate,” Gupta told Express on Wednesday. “During the last meeting also they had confirmed. I sincerely hope they come because it’s a sporting event.”
After India, Sri Lanka will have the largest contingent with 484 players and 162 officials. So far, 500 Indian athletes are likely, with 170 officials.
Though there has been bickering between the organising committee and Meghalaya Olympic Association over shifting of the badminton venue to Guwahati, the confusion is expected to be solved amicably. Meghalaya Olympic Association acting president John Kharshing has shot off a letter to the IOA, saying the Meghalaya government is mulling boycott of the Games over the change of venue.
However, organisers played down the issue, saying it was decided by all concerned at a meeting. “We went for inspection and venue was a problem. The technical delegates had reservations,” said an official. “We could not have ignored their report and recommendation.”
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