ISLAMABAD: South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) member countries have given their approval to host the 14th SA Games in Pakistan in the first half of February 2025.
It found that the Games could start on or around February 1 or 2, 2025, with the two major cities of Islamabad and Lahore sharing the rights to host most of the events. Lahore has been allocated 18 tournaments with Islamabad and Rawalpindi hosting nine matches each. Handball was assigned to Faisalabad.
“Yes, the member countries have given us approval to host the 14th edition of the SA Games in the first half of February 2025. It is likely that the event will start on February 1 or 2 and end around February 12. The final dates will be announced after consultation with the Pakistan government,” said one of the officials.
A high-level meeting is scheduled for today (Monday) at the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) office in Lahore, where NOC and federal government officials will come together to discuss these issues further before finalizing the dates of the Games.
Lahore has been allocated to host archery, badminton, basketball, boxing, fencing, football, golf, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate, rugby, shooting, swimming, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling and cricket.
Islamabad will host athletics, rowing (Rawalpindi), squash, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, wushu, billiards, snooker and triathlon. The government has already consulted the Foreign Office on the guidelines and implications of hosting the 14th edition of the Games. Regional relations are one aspect, the importance of the event for the country’s reputation at the international level is another. There was an unprecedented delay in organizing the event. Pakistan was originally scheduled to host the event in 2021, two years after Nepal hosted the event in 2019, but Covid-19 resulted in an unprecedented delay.
The big sum also includes Rs 3 billion for infrastructure development and another Rs 4 billion for the actual hosting of the games including the purchase of equipment and deck and accommodation for the nearly 5,000 athletes and officials from South Asian countries who turned up for the games.
The POA is under considerable pressure from all South Asian member countries to either host the Games as soon as possible or relinquish hosting rights in favor of Sri Lanka, where the next edition is scheduled.
Pakistan is also scheduled to host the ICC Champions Trophy from February 7. Lahore and Rawalpindi will also play most of the Champions Trophy matches. POA officials say that by the time the Trophy gets into top gear, the 14th SA Games will be over.
