Pakistan Olympic Association
Crdit: X/@NOCPakistan
Karachi: Pakistan’s second longest serving sports official, Lt General (retd) Arif Hasan has stepped down as the president of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) after 19 years due to health problems.
Hasan had succeeded Syed Wajid Ali Shah as the president of the Olympic body in 2004 after the latter remained in power for 26 years.
Hasan was in his fourth term as president of the powerful POA but has now sent a letter to the executive council members submitting his resignation from January 1, 2024.
“Yes, I have sent my resignation as I am in the USA for medical treatment and other family matters for which I now need to spare time,” Hasan confirmed on telephone.
Hasan remained an influential but polarizing figure in Pakistan sports despite attempts by the state-run Pakistan Sports Board and government officials to oust him in the last few years.
He even overcame an internal coup in the POA engineered by the PSB and managed to sideline a parallel group headed by another strong retired military official.
Critics have generally dubbed Hasan’s tenure as a period when Pakistan sports didn't move forward like in other Asian countries as the athletes didn’t show any progress in Asian or World events.