LAHORE (Sports Reporter): The 14th Inter-School and Inter-College Games 2026 will be held from Nov 3 to 7, bringing together more than 300 school and college teams from across Punjab to compete in 24 men’s and women’s sports.
The announcement was made at a joint press conference by Punjab Olympic Association Chief Executive Officer Idrees Haider Khawaja, President Muhammad Amir Jan, Secretary Waqar Ali and Ahmer Malik, who briefed the media on preparations, participation and the objectives of the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Amir Jan said Pakistan had a predominantly young population and stressed the need to encourage young people to participate in sports.
He urged parents to motivate their children to visit playgrounds and take part in physical activities rather than remain away from sporting opportunities.
“Last year, around 20,000 children participated in these games. We expect an even greater number of young athletes to take part this year,” he said.
Amir Jan said the event was intended to promote sports among students and provide them with opportunities to demonstrate their abilities in a competitive environment.
Games to help prepare for South Asian Games
Idrees Haider Khawaja said students looked forward to the annual competition throughout the year, making it an important event on Punjab’s sporting calendar.
He said the Punjab Sports Board and the provincial government had assured organisers of their cooperation in conducting the games.
Khawaja also highlighted the importance of the event in the context of the South Asian Games scheduled for next year, with several events expected to be held in Lahore.
He said organising the inter-school and inter-college games would provide valuable experience in managing sporting competitions and help organisers prepare for the larger regional event.
The experience gained through coordinating teams, venues and competitions would help strengthen organisational capacity ahead of the South Asian Games, he added.
Anti-doping awareness to be a priority
Khawaja said organisers would also focus on protecting young athletes from the misuse of performance-enhancing drugs and other harmful substances.
He said doctors specialising in physical health and physiotherapists would brief participants at each venue on relevant health issues, including the dangers associated with doping and the use of powerful medicines.
The initiative aims to raise awareness among young athletes about safe training practices, physical fitness and the importance of competing fairly.
Ahmer Malik said anti-doping information would be provided in accordance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter.
He added that a committee comprising doctors had been formed to oversee the initiative, with Dr Asad Abbas Shah appointed as its chairman.
Malik said other committees had also been established to facilitate the smooth organisation of the games.
Rs3 million estimated cost
Discussing the financial arrangements, Khawaja said the games were expected to cost approximately Rs3 million.
He said a funding summary seeking Rs2.5 million had been submitted to the Punjab government.
The organisers are seeking the necessary financial support to ensure the successful conduct of the competition and provide participating students with appropriate sporting facilities.
The five-day event is expected to offer young athletes from educational institutions across Punjab an opportunity to compete, develop their skills and gain valuable experience.
Organisers said the games would help promote a sporting culture among students while supporting the development of future athletes who could represent Punjab and Pakistan at national and international competitions.
