The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) announced on Friday that only nine out of 43 National Sports Federations (NSFs) complied with its directive to submit bank statements and audit reports for the financial year 2023-24.
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Limited Compliance with Financial Oversight
The PSB had mandated that all federations provide one-year bank statements and audit reports to promote financial transparency. However, only the following federations met the requirements:
- National Rifle Association of Pakistan
- Pakistan Polo Association
- Pakistan Wrestling Federation
- Chess Federation of Pakistan
- Pakistan Judo Federation
- Pakistan Netball Federation
- Pakistan Taekwondo Federation
The failure of the majority of federations to comply with this directive has raised concerns about financial governance within Pakistan’s sports bodies.
New Reforms Amid Criticism
In addition to the financial compliance issue, the PSB introduced new reforms this week aimed at increasing its oversight of the NSFs. These reforms, outlined in three notifications available on the PSB website, include:
- Election Regulations: New rules to standardize election processes across federations.
- Code of Ethics and Governance: Guidelines designed to ensure ethical practices and better governance within federations.
- Model Constitution: A standardized constitution for federations to align with PSB’s goals and objectives.
While the PSB views these reforms as essential for ensuring accountability, they have sparked criticism from the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and affiliated federations. Critics argue that the reforms infringe upon the autonomy of federations and violate international sports regulations, potentially inviting global sanctions.
