By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has taken notice of the Pakistan Junior Athletics Team’s participation in the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship in India without obtaining the necessary No Objection Certificate (NOC) and has sought an explanation from the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP).

According to details, a team of twelve athletes and five officials from Pakistan participated in the international event, but failed to secure a single medal out of the 90 medals awarded during the championship.

The AFP, already facing criticism for poor team selection leading to disappointing results, is now under further scrutiny as the PSB has questioned why the team was sent to India without prior approval from the relevant authorities.

The PSB, in a letter addressed to AFP Secretary Shahjahan Mir, stated that the federation did not seek an NOC for the team’s departure to India, which is a violation of Article 7(1) of the PSB Constitution.

It is important to note that, for any sporting event held in India, the rules are particularly strict. Federations are required to obtain clearances not only from the PSB but also from intelligence agencies and various ministries before planning such tours.

The AFP’s failure to secure the necessary documents raises questions about their administrative oversight in this matter.