ISLAMABAD: In what can only be described as an unprecedented episode in Pakistan’s sporting history, the breakaway Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation (PBF) has taken the concept of “family involvement” to an entirely new level, appointing three members of the same household as officials for the 57th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Championship currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand.
The federation, raised and backed by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) through controversial elections, has named its secretary, Sohail Anwar, as the coach and manager of the national squad. Uniquely, he is joined by his wife, Maria Noman Sohail, who has been nominated as a female judge, and their daughter, Maryam Sohail, who will serve as a trainee judge at the continental event. The fourth official is Sajid Ali, designated as a male judge, and the only one among the group with apparently no family connection to the others.
Alongside these four officials, a nine-member Pakistani bodybuilding team has also checked into their hotel rooms in Bangkok, eager to contest in different weight categories at Asia’s premier bodybuilding event.
This unusual development marks the first time in Pakistan’s sporting history that three members of a single household have been officially included in an international touring squad. The decision has raised eyebrows across the country’s sports fraternity, as many view it as a glaring example of nepotism.
Despite widespread criticism from the rival federation recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the PSB’s Election Tribunal proceeded with elections that installed Sohail Anwar as secretary of the new PBF. The Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and the PSB subsequently granted the No-Objection Certificate (NOC), effectively endorsing the federation’s participation in the Asian Championship.
When approached by The News, Sohail Anwar brushed aside the concerns, claiming that the expenses of the tour were being managed privately. “I did not receive any financial assistance from the government or the PSB. I am investing from my own pocket, while some members are also sponsoring their own trips,” he said.
Sohail further said that his federation was not dependent on government funding, but rather on “guidance and moral support” from the PSB. He revealed that he had requested the PSB Director General to continue extending institutional support, a commitment he claimed was being honoured.
Defending the federation’s legitimacy, Sohail pointed out that the Asian Championship was being hosted under the umbrella of Thailand’s Ministry of Sports and Olympic Association of Thailand, both of which had extended recognition to his body.
