The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), which has carefully selected a team of 262 athletes and officials to compete in Hangzhou, China, beginning September 23, 2023, is poised to make a splash at the upcoming Asian Games.
A provisional list of 280 athletes, officials, and 14 additional contingent officials was submitted to the Asian Games Organising Committee for approval prior to the contingent’s finalisation.
39 players and officials are prepared to make their mark in both the men’s and women’s competitions in cricket, which will have the most Pakistani representation at the Asian Games.
Athletics will be right behind it, with 22 representatives competing in various events. 21 athletes will represent Pakistan at the 2023 Asian Games in the nation’s favourite sport, hockey.
Pakistani athletes will soon begin their journey to the Asian Games; the first batch, which will include sailors and volleyball players as well as officials, is scheduled to land in Hangzhou on September 15.
This impressive group consists of 137 male and 53 female athletes and is overseen by a team of 72 officials. Given that their e-sports team decided to withdraw from the competition, Pakistan will compete in 24 sports, which is noteworthy.
An unexpected turn in Pakistan’s preparations for the Asian Games was the e-sports team’s withdrawal.
Any suggestions of financial constraints were dispelled by a POA official, who confirmed the decision was not driven by money. Instead, it was the result of a problem with teamwork.
The team was unable to field a full squad for the competition after one of the members expressed their inability to compete in the Asian Games. Once supported by a 12-member squad, Pakistan’s e-sport ambitions must now be postponed.
Along with the e-sports team, the fencing team also experienced a setback. Five athletes and two officials withdrew from the Asian Games because it was difficult to find sponsors.
As a result, Mujadid Awan will be the sole athlete representing Pakistan in fencing.
Taekwondo experienced a lineup change, which made matters more difficult. Najia Rasool was replaced as the official scheduled to travel with the Taekwondo team. This choice was made in response to an unfortunate injury suffered by athlete Fatima, which prevented her from competing at the Asian Games.
Several well-known figures in Pakistani sports were also abruptly dropped from the final squad list.
