The sporting event is slated to take place in Hangzhou, China, starting on September 23, 2023.
The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has confirmed a delegation of 262 athletes and officials for the forthcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, commencing on September 23, 2023. Among these, 137 are male athletes, 53 are female athletes, and 72 comprise team and contingent officials. It’s worth noting that Pakistan’s E-sport team has withdrawn from the competition, reducing the country’s participation to 24 sports instead of the initially planned 25.
The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has confirmed that the E-sport team withdrew from the Asian Games due to one member’s inability to join the team, resulting in insufficient players. The withdrawal was not related to financial constraints.
Furthermore, five athletes and two officials from the Fencing team withdrew from the Asian Games due to sponsorship difficulties. As a result, Pakistan will be represented by only one athlete in Fencing, Mujadid Awan.
Najia Rasool, who was previously named as an official with the Taekwondo squad, has also been withdrawn after athlete Fatima tu Zehra’s injury ruled her out of the Asian Games.
Additionally, several individuals from various sports, including gold player Yashal Shah, Rowing official Rizwan ul Haq, Swimming official Uzma Preto, and three Hockey coaches, have been removed from the final squad list.
Cricket will have the largest representation from Pakistan at the Asian Games, with 39 players and officials participating in both men’s and women’s competitions. Athletics will be the second-largest representation, with 22 players and officials, followed by Hockey, with 21 members representing Pakistan.
Hamdan Nazir, the president of the Pakistan Rowing Federation and VP of Railways Sports Board, has been appointed as the chef de mission of Pakistan’s contingent for the Asian Games, with Munir Ahmed serving as the deputy chef de mission. The first batch of Pakistani athletes, including those from Sailing and Volleyball, is scheduled to arrive in Hangzhou on September 15th.
