Weeklong Sports Sciences training course concludes

LAHORE : The week-long training course of Punjab’s divisional coaches concluded with a closing ceremony here at National Hockey Stadium.

DG Sports Punjab Dr Asif Tufail distributed certificates among the participating divisional coaches at the closing ceremony. Director Youth Affairs Rana Nadeem Anjum, Punjab Institute of Sports Sciences Principal Chand Parveen, Chief Instructor Hafeez Bhatti, and Instructors Shaista Qaiser, Sajid Ali and Deputy Director Atta ur Rehman were also present on this occasion.

Addressing the ceremony, Dr Asif Tufail said that it is the first badge of coaches who were trained under the supervision of qualified experts and master trainers. “The training of the second badge of divisional coaches will start from January 1, 2024,” he added.

He directed the divisional coaches to pass on the valuable knowledge and expertise they learned during the week-long training course to their players and junior coaches as well. “Now it is your responsibility to train and produce international level athletes so that they can earn laurels for the country in international sports competitions,” he added.

Dr Asif Tufail further said that a monitoring group of coaches will be formed through which the performance and training activities of coaches will be assessed.

“The divisional coaches of the province should conduct competitive matches among the players to improve their match fitness and remove their weaknesses in playing techniques”.

On the last day, senior medical expert Dr Asad Abbas delivered an insightful lecture on the topic of Anti-Doping in which he shared valuable tips regarding suitable and harmful nutrition for athletes belonging to different games.

Dr Asad taught the divisional coaches about doping and destructive effects, dope test procedures, doping methods, intentional and unintentional doping, doping substances and the permitted and non-permitted medicines under doping rules.

He advised the coaches to visit World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) website regularly to keep their knowledge and information updated. “It is the only way for our coaches and athletes to get themselves updated with the latest WADA rules and regulations being followed and practiced in the modern world,” he explained.

After the lecture, a question/answer session was also held in which the participating coaches asked various questions to clear their concepts and confusions regarding Anti Doping.

After the completion of lectures, the participating divisional coaches appeared in written examination and viva under the supervision of qualified experts.