In preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, the official lists of athletes and officials for different sports have been finalized by the Asian Games Organizing Committee. These lists provide insight into the individuals who will represent their respective nations in this prestigious multi-sport event. The initial list of 67 officials for various sports has been narrowed down, with five players being dropped. As a result, the athlete contingent now comprises 213 individuals.
Across most sports, the federation’s representatives have been appointed as the official team officials. For instance, cricket’s team officials include Shahid Afridi, Omar Rashid, Hanif Malik, and Hafeez Naeem Rasool in the management. Similarly, for women’s cricket, Mehtab Rashid, Salim Jafar, Rafaat Gul, Tofig Omar, and Ayesha Ashar have been named as officials. The athletics team officials consist of Sadaf Siddiqui, Fiaz Bukhari, Sajjad Mahmood, and Mohammad Sajid, while the 17-member squad from the Archery team has five officials.
Boxing will be led by Mahmood Riaz and Arshad Hussain, while the Badminton team officials will include Zarina Waqar. Notably, tennis and e-sports players will participate without coaches or managers. The Karate team includes two officials from the Karate Federation, apart from coach Ahmad Safi. Endleeb Sindhu and Muhammad Jehangir are included as Karate officials in the final list.
Squash coach Faheem Gul will accompany the squash team, and for Taekwondo players, coaches Youssef Karimi from Iran and Seungo Choi from Korea will travel with the team. Taekwondo’s officials also feature former national players Najiya Rasool and Shemim Akhtar, with the head of the Wushu Federation also joining as an official.
Ahmad Ali Khan and Azim Pervaiz will be part of the Swimming Federation’s officials, while Azma Pervez will also serve as a swimming official. In hockey, the list includes former officials, with the new officials yet to receive accreditation. Notably, certain prominent players like Babar and Adil from rowing, shooter Farooq Nadim, Taekwondo’s Muzahir and Naqsh Hamdani have not made it to the final list.
The Asian Games are an arena for showcasing the skills and talents of athletes from across the continent. The diverse range of sports and the accompanying officials adds to the excitement and anticipation surrounding this event. It’s a platform for athletes to demonstrate their dedication and prowess, and for officials to contribute to the smooth running of the games. With this carefully selected group of athletes and officials, the Asian Games promise to be a spectacle of sportsmanship and excellence.
