SBP to organize talent-hunt competitions across province

LAHORE: In a major effort to identify and nurture new sporting talent, Sports Board Punjab (SBP) has announced multi-level sports competitions from tehsil to division level, aiming to discover fresh athletes for national representation.

The announcement was made by Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab, Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry, during a key meeting at the National Hockey Stadium on Tuesday. Several senior officials, including Director Admin Dr. M Kaleem, Director Sports Rana Nadeem Anjum, Deputy Director Chand Parveen, and Chief Sports Consultant Hafeez Bhatti, were present at the meeting, where preparations for the 35th National Games were also discussed.

The merit-based trials will serve as the first step, ensuring that the best athletes are selected before advancing to the provincial-level competition. The games will include: Volleyball, Kabaddi, Badminton, Hockey

The competition will take place in Lahore and Faisalabad, where 30,000 players will register for trials, with 2,808 athletes competing at the Tehsil and District level.

Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry emphasized that this initiative will not only introduce fresh talent but also serve as essential groundwork for the upcoming 35th National Games.

With Punjab’s rich sporting history, this effort aims to expand grassroots engagement, offer young athletes a structured pathway, and strengthen Pakistan’s future sporting prospects.