Sports teams have improved in Logar: official

PUL-I-ALAM (PAN): Olympic Committee officials on Sunday said teams of various games had improved and coordination among them had strengthened in central Logar province.

Provincial Olympic Committee chief Walid Stanikzai told Pajhwok Afghan News 18 sports federations had been established in Logar, calling it a big achievement over the past two years.

He said two girls’ volleyball teams had also been founded, but they used school grounds for practice due to the lack of proper grounds for them.

Stanikzai said all federations had featured in events on national and international levels, with two taekwondo athletes winning two golden medals in Asian competitions.

He said two boxing athletes won silver and bronze medals in neighboring Iran last year.

The sports official said the committee had so far registered 60 teams, mostly football and volleyball.

Stanikzai said a gymnasium and a stadium,  spread over 19 acres of land, were being constructed at a cost of $1.5 million in a year’s time.

He explained half of the fund for the projects had been provided by the Ministry of Counternarcotics.

Stanikzai thanked the Logar governor’s house for supporting the Olymic Committee, especially for giving it land for the stadium and the gymnasium.

However, sportsmen complain they do not have enough facilities. A volleyball team leader in Gulnigar district, Mohammad Ishaq, said they currently used a school playground in the absence of public playground in the area.

He hoped the problem would be resolved with the construction of the new gymnasium and the stadium in Pul-i-Alam, the provincial capital.

He was satisfied with the Olympic committee’s efforts, saying the body had been honest with sportsmen in resolving their problems.

mds/ma

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