Kathmandu, Nepal, December 12, 2019: Pakistan will use Lahore and three other cities to host the 14th South Asian Games at the end of 2021 according to the country’s top Olympic official Lt. General Syed Arif Hasan. Hasan, President of the Pakistan Olympic Association, told fellow executive members at a recent meeting of the South Asian Olympic Council that Pakistan was looking forward to hosting the Games. “The Games will be based in Lahore but we also hope to use Faisalabad, Sialkot and Gujranwala as hubs for certain sports which are popular in these cities,” revealed Hasan, who is also a Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia. “Sialkot is a hub for football and volleyball and a number of sports industries are also based there. Hockey and handball are popular in Faisalabad while Gujranwala is a hub for wrestling and weightlifting. “We will place athletes in these sports in these cities which are about two hours away by road from Lahore,” Hasan added. Pakistan has hosted the South Asian Games twice before – in 2004 and 1989, both times in Islamabad. “We are looking forward to hosting the South Asian Games again. It is our turn and we hope that all countries including India will turn up. We will ensure that security is high and we will be inviting India. I’m very confident that India will accept our invitation,” Hasan said. Hasan declared satisfaction with his country’s athletes who won 132 medals in Kathmandu, comprised of 32 gold medals, 41 silver and 59 bronze, to finish fourth in the standings behind India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “The lead-up to the Games wasn’t as smooth as it could have been and, considering that, I’m very satisfied with our performance,” Hasan added.
Pakistan to use four cities to host 2021 South Asian Games
