ISLAMABAD: The 37th meeting of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Board, scheduled to be held on Wednesday (today), is expected to deliberate on a wide range of key issues, including a proposal to outsource the management of PSB hostels and the future of disputed national sports federations,
Although the meeting was originally convened primarily to approve Pakistan’s contingents for the Commonwealth and 20th Asian Games, several policy matters have since been added to the agenda, making it one of the most significant Board meetings in recent months.
Among the major issues to be discussed is the proposed outsourcing of hostels operating under the PSB. Officials believe the move could help improve management standards, generate additional revenue and reduce the financial burden on the Board.
The Board is also expected to formally endorse the revised Pakistan contingent for the Asian Games after the PSB increased its financial support, raising the delegation’s strength from 80 to 94. The increase came after the Board agreed to restore funding for five additional sports, reversing an earlier decision under which these disciplines had been excluded on the grounds that they had little chance of winning medals. The earlier move had attracted criticism from sports circles, with federations arguing that participation in major international events was essential for athletes’ development regardless of medal prospects.
The Board will also ratify Pakistan’s contingent for the Commonwealth Games, where the PSB has decided to finance only a 12 of 32-member contingent. The remaining members of the national delegation are expected to be funded either by their respective national sports federations or by the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA). Another important item on the agenda concerns national sports federations embroiled in legal disputes or operating through parallel bodies. The Board is expected to review the status of these federations and consider measures to resolve long-standing administrative conflicts that have adversely affected sports development.
Several office-bearers of internationally affiliated federations have repeatedly accused the PSB of extending recognition or support to parallel organisations despite their lack of international affiliation. They maintain that only federations recognised by the relevant international governing bodies should be treated as the legitimate national organisations.
“The PSB Board will review these federation-related issues with the objective of finding workable solutions to disputes that have hampered the promotion and development of sports in the country,” a senior official told The News. Pakistan hockey is also expected to come under detailed discussion following the national team’s recent struggles on the international stage. Board members are likely to consider proposals aimed at strengthening the game’s structure, improving player development and providing greater institutional support to help restore Pakistan’s competitiveness in international hockey.
