3000 players to take part in 72nd Punjab Games next month
As many as 3000 athletes in both male and female categories will participate in the much delayed - 72nd Punjab Games which are scheduled to be held from 3rd to 6th April at the different venues in Lahore.
Director General Sports Board Punjab (SBP), Nadeem Sarwar during a press conference disclosed the details of the 2019 Punjab Games that the games would be held with the collaboration of the Punjab Olympic Association (PbOA) in the presence of Secretary PbOA, Idris Haider Khawaja.
“I can’t say any word about such a long eight-year delay in hosting the Punjab Games, but since I have been at helm for the last four months and we took a decision three months back of reviving the Punjab Games, we are ready to fulfill the commitment now. Everyone will see that the games will be held in a colorful manner and will be a landmark achievement by all means and appropriate steps had already been taken to ensure no break in hosting the Punjab Games will come in the future." Nadeem said.
“Yes it has been a problem in our system that with the change of persons at the helm, the policies of the departments have also been changing. But we have made a policy under which three activities will be held on regular basis at all cost in future, including Punjab Games, introducing regular sports activities in educational institutions and U-16 coaching and training camps program,” he added.
Though the budget set for the Punjab Games was not announced, Nadeem said the best athletes would also be honored with the cash prizes if they manage to achieve high honors in the games. He further said the Sports Board was also considering to revive the monthly stipends of the best athletes in future.
All nine (9) divisions of the Punjab have been sent the invitation to prepare their players for the upcoming games and the training camp and trials to select the teams of different divisions had already been started.
Meanwhile, PbOA, Secretary Khawaja Idris said that the athletes would compete in 30 different disciplines including 21 for men and 7 for women and 2 for special children. He said full dress rehearsal would be held on 2nd April.
