PSB meeting today to consider high performance centre

ISLAMABAD: The establishment of Arshad Nadeem High Performance Centre within the Pakistan Sports Complex and approval of the annual budget are important points of the 30th Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday (today).

The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), one of the important (permanent) members of the Board, is likely to sit out of the meeting due to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) meeting under way in New Delhi.

Senator Faratullah Babar has resigned from the Board membership and a new member of the Board is yet to be inducted. “I have already tendered my resignation from the PSB Board as I wanted the new government to have its own members,” Faratullah Babar, when approached, said. The matter of appointing new PSB Board members had been left to the prerogative of the Patron in Chief (Prime Minister of Pakistan), though the amendment in the PSB constitution has not been passed as yet.

There is also a big question mark over the status of the decisions to be taken in the Tuesday meeting. The absence of POA and federations representative and expiry of the tenure of the former members has put a big question mark on the status of the 30th Board meeting and the decisions that are expected to be taken.

Ahtatsham Ahmad, Director Coordination PSB, told The News that Article 6.2 of the PSB constitution gave the PSB right to hold the meeting. “Out of 11 members five complete the quorum. Besides Minister IPC and Secretary IPC, DG PSB, representatives of HEC and NESPAK can complete the quorum. We expect POA to be also present in the meeting,” he said.

There is all the likelihood that POA representatives will not attend the meeting. One of the agenda items is to consider and approve the establishment of Arshad Nadeem High Performance Academy/Center within Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.

It is not yet clear as to whether facilities already available at the PSB would be renamed as usually happens and a mere plaque will be unveiled or a new piece of land will be earmarked for the purpose.

Amendments to the PSB constitution and approval of the annual budget for the year 2024-25 are also on the cards. It has been learnt that the daily allowance may well be increased from 30 dollars to 50 dollars per day for athletes participating in major sporting events.

Criteria for declaring sports persons as national color holders is also on cards. Criteria for representing Pakistan in international sports events and revision of cash award policy for medal winners is also under consideration.

Consideration and approval of the re-appropriation of funds within non-development grant to PSB for the year 2023-2024 is also on cards. The Board meeting agenda includes the approval of the hiring of Chief Financial Officer.

Report of the inquiry committee to probe the disappearance of Pakistan Navy boxer holding Blue Passport (Zohaib Rasheed) from Italy during a world qualification tournament held in March will also be considered. Amendments to criteria for sanctioning grants to national sports federations will also be reviewed. Affairs of Pakistan Weightlifting Federation will also be discussed.