Team Enga opts out

By MELTON PAIS
TEAM Enga has withdrawn from the seventh BSP PNG Games in Kimbe next month due to financial constraints to cater for the welfare of athletes and team officials.
Provincial sports director Ishmael Kundal confirmed the withdrawal and said the team has not received any financial support from the provincial government or business houses in Enga.
“Team Enga has put more emphasis on certain sports like kickboxing, boxing, body building, powerlifting and weightinglifting and we believe these athletes will win medals,” Kundal said.
However, Kundal said their hopes will not eventuate because it was there was no money to the athletes to the games and back home.
“We don’t have the financial support so the situation has become complicated and we’ve decided to pull out,” he said.
“The situation that Team Enga is facing is beyond our control so we can’t say we will wait patiently to hear a favourable world from our leaders when we have four weeks before the opening.
He said Team Enga was preparing well and all was set for the PNG Games in Kimbe but the aspirations of the athletes were shattered.
“We believe that Team Enga will be well-prepared for the 2018 PNG Games Mendi in Southern Highlands,” he said.
Slater Kurum, an Engan athlete who won a silver medal in javelin and a bronze on the track while representing NCD in Lae 2014, said Enga had withdrawn.
Kurum joined Enga early year and was training well with the track athletes but to their surprise, they were told they would not take part.
Kurum is now in Port Moresby looking an opportunity to represent NCD in field and track events.
Attempts to get comments from the Enga provincial government were unsuccessful.