ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has officially approved the participation of a 53-member Pakistani contingent in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, scheduled to be held in Bahrain from October 22 to 31, 2025.
The approval was granted following clearance from the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the final go-ahead remains subject to approval from the Ministry of Interior.
The contingent comprises talented athletes and experienced officials who will represent Pakistan in eight different sports disciplines: athletics, badminton, jiu-jitsu, kabaddi, swimming, taekwondo, volleyball, and wrestling. The delegation will be led by Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, who will serve as the Chef de Mission.
To ensure transparency and uphold the integrity of national sports, the PSB has implemented a strict merit-based selection policy for this edition. Introduced under the leadership of PSB Director General Yasir Pirzada, the new policy actively discourages self-sponsorship, which in the past had been misused by influential individuals to secure foreign tours outside of merit.
A spokesperson for the PSB stated, “This contingent represents the pure sporting talent of our country. Under clear directives from the DG PSB, it has been ensured that every athlete is selected based solely on skill and performance, not on privilege or personal resources.”
The spokesperson further added that the era of using international tours as unnecessary perks is over. “Our focus is now firmly on athletes who have the potential to bring glory to Pakistan,” the statement concluded.
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