While most of the other federations have started their training camps for the upcoming South Asian (SA) Games three-and-a-half months ago, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is still in hesitation over selection of a squad for the 12theditionofthe games, with only seven weeks left.

Out of the 18 gold medals that Bangladesh won in the last SA Games in 2010 in Dhaka, the one in football was the most precious as it regained a title they had won 11 years previously. Bangladesh under-23 squad, under the guidance of Serbian coach Zoran Djordjevic, made history as they became the first team not to concede a single goal in the event's history, while scoring 13 times in five matches.

With the indecision of the game's governing body, the pride is seemingly at stake as the hooters have been out of action for the three months since the completion of the Bangladesh Premier League in August raising concern over the players' fitness.

The Bangladesh under-23 team, under former national coach Lodewijk de Kruif, finished fourth among four teams in the AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers in Dhaka in March after being held to a draw against their Indian counterparts in the last match.

"We are thinking about the squad for the SA Games. We have options to send either the national under-23 team or any team below the under-23 level. However, we haven't yet decided which team will be sent to the games," said BFF vice president Tabith Awal, who is also a member of the national teams' committee.

“The coach will be selected after selection of the squad and we are thinking of choosing the squad before December 17," added Tabith.

Players like Rasel Mahmud, Tapu Barman, Yeasin Khan, Raihan Hasan, Sohel Rana, Hemanta Vincent Biswas, Mashuk Mia Jonny, Jewel Rana and Aminur Rahman Sajib, who represent the national team, are still eligible to represent the under-23 team, but the question remains as to how the others players, who are out of action, will gel with these players within a short period of time.

"I don't think fitness will be a problem because plan-wise they are still in right position," saidTabith.

The national under-16 and the national under-19 teams, who participated in the AFC U-16 and AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers in October, are currently in the hands of the BFF even though most of the players of the under-19 team have been participating in the ongoing Bangladesh Championship League.