ISLAMABAD: Outgoing Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Muhammad Yasir Pirzada has stressed that close coordination between PSB and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) is vital for the progress and development of sports in the country.
Speaking exclusively to The News on the final day of his nearly 22-month tenure after being repatriated to his parent department Tuesday, Yasir Pirzada reflected on the challenges, reforms and achievements during his stint as DG PSB, while underlining the importance of unity among all stakeholders.
“When the PSB and the POA work together, ninety percent of the problems faced by Pakistan sports can be resolved. Coordination among the leading stakeholders is essential for the promotion and progress of sports in the country,” he said.
The outgoing DG praised POA President Ch Arif Saeed and Secretary Khalid Mehmood for extending support towards creating a collaborative working relationship between the two institutions.
“Now we are on the same page. We have agreed to form a committee to address the issue of parallel federations through free and fair elections. We are jointly moving in that direction,” he added. Yasir Pirzada maintained that while the PSB and the government respected the autonomy of sports federations, accountability in financial matters could not be compromised.
“We have provided millions of rupees to federations for sports activities. Since it is taxpayers’ money, federations must submit proper audit reports and settlements. Seeking accountability is the PSB’s legitimate right,” he said. The outgoing DG also pointed out what he described as the lack of planning on the part of several federations.
“Every federation is fully aware of the international calendar and their participation plans for the following year, yet most of them approach the PSB for NOCs and financial support at the eleventh hour,” he remarked.
Highlighting the reforms introduced during his tenure, Yasir Pirzada said the PSB had implemented several unprecedented measures aimed at ensuring transparency and professionalism in sports administration.
“We introduced a comprehensive Code of Ethics for the first time, covering issues such as merit violations, harassment, nepotism and mechanisms to address these matters,” he said.
He also defended the establishment of an Election Commission within the PSB despite criticism from various quarters. “The purpose was to ensure free and fair elections in sports federations. Earlier, many elections were merely held on paper,” he stated.
Among the landmark initiatives launched during his tenure, Yasir Pirzada particularly highlighted the National Talent Identification and Verification System. “The system enables talented boys and girls from across the country to submit their credentials and go through a proper trial process. If genuine talent is identified, the case is forwarded to the relevant federation and the PSB continues to monitor the athlete’s progress. I take pride in initiating this programme for the youth of Pakistan,” he said.
Yasir Pirzada further revealed that Pakistan had been under scrutiny by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) before his administration took corrective measures. “Pakistan was on the WADA watch-list. Through consistent efforts over one year, we managed to take the country out of the gray zone. In line with WADA requirements, an independent anti-doping authority was also constituted,” he explained. The former DG said sports funding regulations had also been developed to ensure proper allocation and monitoring of grants.
“Almost Rs1 billion has been distributed among federations during the last three years. Many federations are yet to submit their audit reports. We have clearly informed them that unless complete audits are submitted, future grants will be adjusted accordingly,” he said.
Referring to the controversy surrounding the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) during the FIH Pro League tour of Australia, Yasir Pirzada disclosed that the PSB Board had directed that funds should not be handed directly to the federation but instead be utilized specifically for tour-related expenses.
“The Rs250 million Pro League budget was actually diverted from the PSB operational budget. The issue arose when the PHF submitted visa forms to the Australian Consulate that were not meant for the team’s travel,” he said.
According to him, the change in travel plans caused a financial loss of nearly Rs10 million. “The PHF submitted the revised list of 26 players on January 26, while the PSB handed over the cheque on January 28. That resulted in delays,” he added. Discussing athlete development, Yasir Pirzada admitted that Pakistan’s sports structure continued to suffer from financial and administrative limitations. “We have limited resources for athletes because a major portion of non-development funds is consumed by administrative expenses and employees’ salaries. Players’ training, coaching and international exposure all have to be managed from the same budget,” he explained. He expressed disappointment over the absence of long-term athlete development plans from federations.
“During my entire tenure, not a single federation submitted a comprehensive yearly development plan for athletes. Fake clubs and manipulated elections continue to haunt Pakistan sports,” he remarked.
The outgoing DG hoped that the proposed Arshad Nadeem Academy project would soon receive financial approval. “That funding is solely meant for grooming talented athletes. Unfortunately, most federations still lack a proper grassroots development structure,” he said.
Concluding the interview, Yasir Pirzada observed that the office of Director General PSB required freedom from unnecessary administrative distractions in order to focus fully on sports development.
“The DG PSB should have the freedom to concentrate on evolving policies and measures for sports promotion rather than remaining entangled in routine administrative hurdles and petty office matters,” he said.
He claimed that transparency remained the hallmark of his tenure. “I introduced transparency in awarding contracts and in all major financial matters to ensure that taxpayers’ money is spent in the most transparent manner possible,” Yasir Pirzada concluded.
