PSB Allocates Over 1000 Million Rupees to Sports Federations Amid Criticism

The Pakistan Sports Board has allocated over 1000 million rupees in grants to national sports federations. Financial statements reveal variable funding over the past five years, with notable increases in recent years. Criticism persists over inadequate support for the Pakistan Hockey Federation, despite increased funding for other sports, including athletics.

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has announced the allocation of over 1000 million rupees in grants to various national sports federations.

Facing recent criticisms for insufficient funding, especially towards the Pakistan Hockey Federation, the PSB has made its financial statements from the past five years available online. The reports indicate that during the tenure of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PSB provided minimal funding, with only 25 million rupees distributed in the fiscal year 2019/2020 and a slight increase to 42 million rupees in 2020/21. However, in the last two fiscal years, the board has significantly increased its funding, reaching a total of approximately 920 million rupees.

Among the beneficiaries, the Pakistan Amateur Athletics Federation received over 100 million rupees in the past five years, significantly boosting its Olympic preparation, notably for javelin thrower Nadeem Arshad. Despite these increases, the Pakistan Hockey Federation, which has repeatedly highlighted its funding shortfalls, only received 103 million rupees over the same period. Former hockey Olympian Samiullah commented on the financial reports, suggesting that the inadequate and poorly audited funding is a major reason for Pakistan's lackluster performance in sports other than cricket.

(With inputs from agencies.)