BOA eyes respectable results in Islamic Solidarity Games

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) expects a respectable result from the athletes in upcoming Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia as a 62-member contingent including 36 athletes are set to leave for Riyadh in groups to take part in the 6th edition on November 7-21.

Of 21 disciplines, Bangladesh will take part in 10 -- athletics, fencing, karate, swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, judo and taekwondo -- with a hope of securing a few medals like the last edition where Bangladesh bagged one gold, one silver and one bronze in shooting, two silvers and one bronze in archery and one bronze in wrestling.

However, shooting and archery have been dropped from the upcoming Games, shrinking Bangladesh's hopes of winning medals.

But Chef de Mission Selim Fakir, who is also the additional secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is optimistic to win a few medals.

"We have exchanged views with all disciplines and all expressed their hopes to deliver respective results in the Games. We also hope that the athletes will also give their highest effort to win some medals," said Selim Fakir at an official press briefing at the BOA auditorium on Thursday.

"As the athletes from 26 disciplines have been preparing for next year's South Asian Games, so there was no need to arrange further preparation for the Islamic Solidarity Games. Four separate committees are monitoring the training funded by National Sports Council," Fakir said.

"Table tennis player Muhtasin Ahmed Ridoy and weightlifter Mabia Akhter will carry the national flag in the march past."

Wushu federation's general secretary Dildar Hossain Dilu said they won't come back empty-handed.

"Our wrestlers have bagged a medal before. We are expecting to win medals, subject to the facilities in the Games," said Bangladesh Wrestling Federation general secretary Mezbah Azad.

Bangladesh Athletics Federation vice president Iqbal Hossain said that they are expecting medals from jumper Ritu Akter and hurdler Najimul Hossain Rony while Bangladesh Karate Federation general secretary Moazzem Hossain Sentu said the karatekas would give a fight against the world-class athletes.

NSC director general Kazi Nazrul Islam and BOA director general brigadier General (rtd) ABM Shefaul Kabir were also present.