Kazi Nabil Ahmed, the vice president of the Bangladesh Football Federation, stated that the organization is attempting to get the men’s football squad included in the contingent that will participate in the Asian Games, which will take place in Hangzhou, China in September of this year.
Nabil revealed this information during a meeting of the National Teams Committee on Sunday. This took place the day after the Bangladesh Olympic Association opted not to send the men’s squad due to a lack of performance during a meeting of the executive committee on Saturday.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, another vice-president of BFF, and Nabil, who is also a vice-president of BOA, were among those who were present at the meeting that took place on Saturday. During the most recent edition of the Asian Games, which took place in Indonesia in 2018, Bangladesh qualified for the knockout phase of the men’s football competition for the very first time.
After the meeting, BOA Treasurer AK Sarkar was quoted as saying to The Daily Star, “The decision to send 17 teams at the [Asian] Games still stands, with the addition of boxing.”
When asked about the rationale behind the exclusion of the men’s squad, Sarkar responded that “the decision was based on the performance of the boys.” Nabil, however, stated that they are having conversations with the BOA in order to get the men’s team aboard.
“We are having talks with the BOA to have our men’s team in the Asian Games in Hangzhou,” Nabil said to the press.
“Yesterday’s meeting of the BOA was very eventful, with a wide range of topics covered. We have not yet been formally informed of any decision that has been made. According to the press release from BOA, there are 17 different sports, one of which being football. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the men’s team will also be present.
“After seeing the reports in the media, I called the president of the BOA yesterday evening and told him that the men’s team also needs to be sent,” Nabil said.
Kazi Salahuddin, the head of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), voiced his disapproval to the reporters on Saturday. He was unhappy with the decision that the men’s squad will not be included in the Asian Games contingent.