The delayed 9th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games will now be held in Pakistan’s Islamabad from March 29. The Games scheduled to be held in October 2001 was first postponed after the September 11 Twin Tower attacks in New York.
Nepalese participants to the organizing committee of the Games in Pakistan announced the good sporting news for South Asia Friday despite on-going tensions between India and Pakistan.
Afghanistan, which is not a member of the seven nations SAARC, will be participating is South Asia’s biggest sporting event. The 8th SAF Games were held in Kathmandu September/October 1999.
All six member nations of SAARC participated in the organizing committee while India sent a letter conforming its participation in the up-coming Games.
National Sports Council (NSC) member secretary Binod Shanker Phalikhe, NOC President Rukma Shumshere JB Rana and Assistant Secretary at the Education Ministry Janardhan Sharma Paudel participated in the meeting and announced the results Friday.
The organizing committee meeting was chaired by Pakistan Olympic Association President Syed Wajid Ali Shah.