The ninth South Asian Federation Games, which have been postponed thrice, may be shifted from Pakistan to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka, who were supposed to head the next edition, are most likely to get the Games, Pakistan news agency APP on Saturday quoted officials as saying. The venue can be shifted if five of the seven member countries so desire.

India, who pulled out of the Games citing security threats to its athletes in Islamabad, is not attending the meeting. Meanwhile, Pakistan on Saturday favoured an amendment to the SAF Games
constitution to make a provision for a “guest participant” and said it would like to invite China if the Games were still held in Islamabad.

“China or for that matter any other Asian country may be included as guest participant to impart more glamour to the biennial SAF Games,” the officials said. “But Pakistan will prefer China as the outside participating country” if the meeting somehow decides against a shift in the venue.

They said if the Games are shifted to Sri Lanka, the host country would be free to invite any other Asian country as guests. nepalnews.com br April 6