25 February, 2025
SAOC Meeting Concludes in Lahore, Key Decisions Finalized for the 14th South Asian Games 2026.
Mr. Jeevan Ram Shrestha, President of the Nepal Olympic Committee, participated in the successful South Asian Olympic Council (SAOC) meeting held today at the Avari Hotel in Lahore, Pakistan. The meeting was chaired by SAOC President and President of the Pakistan Olympic Association, Mr. Khalid Mahmood. Representatives from all seven South Asian National Olympic Committees attended, with the Indian Olympic Association joining online.
Key Decisions from the Meeting:
1. The 14th South Asian Games (SAG) will be held from January 23 to 31, 2026.
2. The Games will be hosted across three cities: Lahore, Islamabad, and Faisalabad.
3. The event will feature 27 confirmed sports, with the host nation (Pakistan) allowed to select 27 additional sports. Any sport withdrawn or with participation from fewer than four nations will be excluded.
4. A follow-up meeting in March 2025 will finalize detailed plans, and the technical manual will be distributed by the end of April 2025.
5. A SAOC Constitution Amendment Committee has been formed to revise and update the organization’s bylaws.
6. A technical meeting regarding the Games will be held in March 2025, with the technical manual distributed by April 2025.
7. The Constitution Amendment Committee, chaired by the SAOC President, includes Nepal NOC President Jeevan Ram Shrestha and Sri Lanka NOC President Surendram Subramanyam as members.
Approved Sports for the 14th South Asian Games:
The following sports have been confirmed for inclusion in the 14th South Asian Games:
Aquatics – Swimming (Men & Women), Archery (Men & Women), Athletics (Men & Women), Badminton (Men & Women), Billiards & Snooker (Men), Boxing (Men & Women), Fencing (Men & Women), Golf (Men & Women), Judo (Men & Women), Karate (Men & Women), Shooting (Men & Women), Squash (Men & Women), Table Tennis (Men & Women), Taekwondo (Men & Women), Tennis (Men & Women), Triathlon (Men & Women), Weightlifting (Men & Women), Wrestling (Men & Women), Wushu (Men & Women), Basketball 3x3 and 5x5 (Men & Women), Cricket (Men & Women), Football (Men & Women), Handball (Men & Women) and Beach Handball (Men), Hockey (Men), Mat Kabaddi (Men & Women), Rugby (Men), Volleyball (Men & Women) & Beach Volleyball (Men), and Rowing. Rowing, proposed as second optional sport by the host NOC, will be included once it receives endorsement from at least four NOCs as an additional sport to already approved program.
.png)
