Pakistan Sports Complex de-sealed after disinfection

ISLAMABAD: After carrying out thorough disinfection process, the Islamabad Administration de-sealed, Pakistan Sports Complex, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and different federation offices, allowing the staff to restart daily business under the prescribed SOPs from Monday.

Some four to six staffers of the PSB Hostel got infected with COVID-19 during the Ehsas Programme launching programme two weeks back, forcing the Administration to seal the place.

“The entire area, all offices within the premises of the Complex have been de-sealed. The PSB offices along with other federation offices will reopen from Monday. However, we have yet to decide on the restart of public dealing. The matter would come under discussion once we get to business, starting from Monday,” Azam Dar, Deputy Director General PSB when contacted said.

Besides, the PSB offices, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF), Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP), Kabaddi, Rowing Federations and Alphine Club of Pakistan offices are also situated within the complex.

Davis Cup captain and leading former international Mushaf Zia academy also falls within the Complex.“All federations are free to evolve their own SOPs for daily working and public dealing. There is a requirement to make necessary changes according to changing situation and that is what we expect from all federation whenever they decide to start their business and even their sports activities,” Azam Dar, said.

Just adjacent to the Pakistan Sports Complex are the Islamabad Club facilities where the sports action has already started in accordance with the given SOPs. Besides tennis activities, golf and polo action is already under way. The lockdown over the last three months has crippled the sports activities to a level where professional athletes would be needing a heavy work out in days and weeks to come to re-gather their best form for forthcoming international events.

The PSF has already postponed their plans of restarting activities at the Pakistan Sports Complex premises following sealing of the site. Now when the PSB Complex has been reopened, chance are that we may see start of action at the Mushaf Ali Mir Complex in near future.

“The life and wellbeing of players and support staff is of immense importance to us and every decision will be guided by this fact,” a PSF official when contacted recently said.

He said that some plans were being chalked out to restart squash activities but now things would have to be readjusted yet again. “It is at the opening of Complex that we would start considering as what should be our next move. There is no doubt that these are testing times for everyone and squash is no exception. What we want is to first guarantee security and wellbeing of players and then to make next move. At the moment we are not sure as to when the practice and training of players will start,” the official said.

Pakistan were planning to host series of international as well as domestic events this summer. Due to COVID-19 no one is sure as when the local calendar activities would start. Azam Dar meanwhile confirmed that all those employees who contracted virus were in quarantine since they were tested positive and were experiencing improvement.

Article source: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/673020-pakistan-sports-complex-de-sealed-after-disinfection