LAHORE (The Tribune International) – The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) is set to recommend a performance-based funding framework for national sports federations under the proposed National Sports Policy 2026, aiming to link government grants with measurable activity and achievements rather than administrative influence.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday alongside officials from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), POA President Arif Saeed said the association had prepared a detailed proposal inspired by Qatar’s sports development model. The recommendations will be submitted to the government as consultations continue on the draft National Sports Policy, which has already been circulated among national federations for input.
Arif stressed that Pakistan’s sporting progress depends on closer collaboration between public institutions and sports bodies. He said the new policy offers an opportunity to establish a transparent and accountable system for funding sports organizations.
Under the proposed model, federations would be classified into categories based on the quantity and quality of their activities. Those conducting regular competitions, development programmes and producing competitive results would receive greater financial support than federations with limited annual engagements.
According to Arif, some federations currently organize only one senior and one junior national championship each year, a level of activity he described as insufficient for sustainable sports development. He maintained that future funding should be tied to performance indicators and consistent participation in sporting programmes.
While welcoming the government’s efforts to formulate a new policy, Arif acknowledged that challenges facing sports in Pakistan cannot be attributed solely to state institutions. He said certain federation officials have also failed to contribute effectively to the growth of their respective disciplines. The POA, he added, would continue working to strengthen cooperation between federations and government authorities.
Commenting on a proposal within the draft policy to allocate two percent of federal and provincial development budgets to sports, Arif termed the suggestion encouraging but noted that implementation would be critical to its success.
He also highlighted the importance of youth competitions in identifying future talent, pointing to recent examples in cricket where players progressed from under-19 structures to the national team. Similar pathways, he said, could help elevate standards across multiple sports.
The press conference was held in connection with the OCA Fun Run, scheduled for Monday at Lahore College for Women University. OCA delegation head Hiroshi Sakai said the initiative seeks to promote friendship, unity, excellence and healthy lifestyles while building enthusiasm for the 20th Asian Games, which will be held in Japan next year.
Meanwhile, POA Secretary Khalid Mahmood announced that the Pakistan Sports Board had agreed to sponsor 123 athletes and officials for the Asian Games, with 23 federations expressing interest in participation.
