KARACHI: The federal government has decided to establish sports academies in various universities through Higher Education Commission (HEC), The News has learnt on Friday.
The academies, to be set up throughout the country, will provide modern facilities to enhance the abilities of young athletes in various disciplines.
Well informed sources said that the government has finally decided to uplift the country’s standard in such sports as cricket, hockey, football, athletics, boxing, weightlifting, wrestling, squash, volleyball, judo, handball, and skiing.
Sources said that the details of these academies in 13 universities would be announced in a ceremony by the federal government in near future.
Sources said that the existing decades old sports system in the country produced nothing and Pakistani athletes lagged behind a number of developing countries.
Even small countries in Asia and Africa have been able to produce athletes who won medals in international competitions.
Sources said that differences among federations and associations have ruined careers of athletes as many times they are not even able to participate in international competitions.
Pakistan has failed to win medals at South Asian Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian and World Championships where smaller countries have clinched a number of medals.
The sources said that the HEC recently approved the PSDP-funded project titled “Establishment of Kamyab Jawan Sports Academies (High-Performance Centres) and Youth Olympics” which is budgeted for 2021-22.
The objective is to develop world-class sportspersons by providing modern sports education, advanced coaching and training, and focused fitness programmes.
These academies will also be mandated to collaborate with national and international sports organisations to host national and international events, sources mentioned.
The sources added that the talented athletes, both girls and boys, would be given admission into these universities. These academies will have state-of-the-art resource centres, hostels, and modern playing facilities (indoor as well as outdoor).
The following universities have been selected for the academies: International Islamic University, Islamabad (National Academy of Cricket); University of Peshawar (National Academy of Squash and Volleyball); Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan (National Academy of Squash and Volleyball); University of Punjab, Lahore (National Academy of Weightlifting); Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan (National Academy of Hockey); University of Karachi, (National Academy of Football); Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam (National Academy of Judo); Karakoram International University (National Academy of Skiing and Sport Tourism Center); University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (National Academy of Handball); Baluchistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta (National Academy of Athletics); NED University (High Performance Lab-Bio-mechanics and Movement Analysis; Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Karachi (National Academy of Boxing), University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore (National Academy of Wrestling).
