Funds to prepare Punjab athletes for Games yet to be released

LAHORE: While Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister on Sports and Youth Affairs Wahab Riaz has announced hefty cash prizes for the winners from the province at next month’s National Games in Quetta, the government is yet to release funds to prepare the contingents.

A summary has moved to the Punjab government asking to release Rs30 million for training camps, travel and kits for a 450-strong contingent for the May 22-30 national gala in Balochistan capital.

An official of the Punjab Olympic Association (PbOA) told Dawn that though the summary had not been returned by the government to Sports Board Punjab (SBP), it was learnt that the funds would not be released.

“The government of Punjab has raised an objection that the government has already allocated Rs2 billion under the Sports Endowment Funds; and it has also released special grants to the Pakistan Athletics Federation (Rs50 million), Punjab Golf Association (Rs50 million) and the Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (Rs10 million) in the recent past,” the PbOA official said.

When contacted, an SBP official, however, said the summary would be approved soon as the government was willing to send the contingent for the national gala.

The official, on the condition of anonymity, said though the time was running short noting the team events at the games were to start on May 14, and hoped the camps would be set up in the first week of May.

According to the PbOa official, due to Eidul Fitr holidays the offices would reopen from April 26.

The ground reality suggests the Punjab contingent’s preparations for the Games are yet to formally kick off.

“When the players do not get proper training, how will they be able to win medals at the games where professional players from Wapda, Army, Navy, Pakistan Air Force and others will be competing,” wondered the official.

Interestingly, on the other hand, Wahab, in a press release issued on Thursday announced that the team’s events winners will earn Rs1,000,000, runners-up to get Rs500,000 while third-position holder will pocket Rs250,000.

In the individual events, gold, silver and bronze medallists from Punjab will receive cash prizes of Rs500,000, Rs250,000 and Rs100,000 each, respectively.