South Asian Games Looming, Archery Federation Disputed: Who Will Shoot for Pakistan?

 

Pakistan is scheduled to host the 14th South Asian Games in March 2027. According to the decision of the South Asian Olympic Council, the Games are scheduled to be held from March 23 to 31, 2027, with archery among the approved sports.

But for Pakistan, the archery issue is not simply about stepping onto the field, drawing a bow and shooting an arrow.

Before that can happen, Pakistan must answer a much more basic question:

Who is the legitimate national representative of archery in Pakistan?

The Pakistan Sports Board's own official website lists the Pakistan Archery Federation as "Disputed" in its list of national sports federations.

That is not merely an administrative footnote.

It raises a series of serious questions as Pakistan moves closer to hosting the South Asian Games.

If the national federation of a sport is officially listed as disputed, who will select Pakistan's archers for the Games? Who will organise the national training camp? Who will appoint the coaches? Who will supervise trials and selection? Who will approve the national team? And, ultimately, which organisation will officially represent Pakistan's archery at the South Asian Games?

The most important question, however, is much simpler:

What exactly is the dispute?

The Pakistan Sports Board has listed the federation as disputed, but there appears to be no clear public explanation on its website setting out the complete background of the dispute, the groups involved, the status of their respective office-bearers or elections, the basis on which the federation has been placed in the disputed category, and the forum that will ultimately determine the matter.

That lack of clarity becomes increasingly significant as the Games approach.

Recent decisions of the Pakistan Sports Board also show that the issue of parallel and disputed sports federations remains under consideration at the federal level. In July 2026, the PSB Board decided to constitute a committee to examine the issue of parallel federations. The meeting also dealt with registration and electoral-record requirements involving a number of federations, including archery.

But this is precisely where the real problem begins.

The South Asian Games calendar will not wait.

Pakistan is expected to complete its preparations as host well before March 2027. Archery is already included in the sports programme. The country therefore cannot afford to reach the final stage of preparations without knowing which organisation has the authority to run the sport at the national level.

If the existing federation is disputed, then a number of questions demand clear answers.

Through which organisation will Pakistan's archery team be selected for the South Asian Games?

If the PSB recognises one group, what is the legal and administrative basis for that recognition?

If the PSB decides to use an alternative arrangement to prepare the team, which authority will approve that arrangement?

And if the Pakistan Olympic Association has a decisive role in determining the recognised national federation, what is the practical implication of the PSB continuing to list the Pakistan Archery Federation as "Disputed"?

There is another contradiction that deserves attention.

On one side, work is reportedly being undertaken at the government level to improve archery infrastructure and facilities.

On the other, the national federation responsible for the sport remains listed as disputed on the PSB's own official platform.

There is nothing wrong with improving an archery ground. In fact, it is necessary.

But the real question is:

Are the athletes and the competitive system being prepared with the same urgency as the infrastructure?

Major international competitions are not won through grounds, banners and opening ceremonies.

A competitive national team requires structured trials, a transparent selection policy, training camps, qualified coaches, international exposure, proper equipment, fitness programmes and regular high-level competition.

That raises another set of questions.

Following the initiatives reportedly launched to register talented archers, how many athletes have actually registered?

How many archers have been identified at district and provincial levels?

How many have undergone screening?

How many have been invited to a national camp?

How many are currently undergoing structured training?

And perhaps most importantly, how many of these athletes are actually being prepared specifically for the 2027 South Asian Games?

If the answers exist, there should be no reason for the Pakistan Sports Board and the relevant authorities to keep them out of the public domain.

The larger problem with Pakistan's sports system is often that the administrative structure is prepared on paper before the athletes are properly prepared on the field.

There are notifications.

There are committees.

There are meetings.

There are portals.

There are registration exercises.

There are plans.

But the athlete is often left waiting for the actual programme to begin.

If the same approach is followed for the South Asian Games, the issue will not remain confined to archery.

It could become a question about Pakistan's preparedness as a host, the credibility of its sports administration and the country's ability to provide its athletes with a competitive environment.

The Pakistan Sports Board now faces some very straightforward questions.

Why is the Pakistan Archery Federation listed as disputed?

When did the dispute begin?

What is the nature of the dispute?

Which groups are involved?

What steps has the PSB taken to resolve it?

What is the deadline for resolving the matter?

Who will make the final decision?

Which organisation will select Pakistan's archery team for the South Asian Games?

When will the national training camp begin?

How many athletes are currently in training?

Who are the appointed coaches?

What will be the selection criteria?

And, most importantly:

When Pakistani archers walk onto the field in March 2027, which organisation will legally and administratively stand behind that team?

These are not questions being raised in favour of one faction or against another.

They are questions being raised in favour of the athletes.

In disputes between sports federations, office-bearers may continue their battles for years. The athlete does not have that luxury.

An athlete's career has a limited window.

A year lost from structured training can be significant. A missed international competition can affect ranking, experience and confidence. A delayed selection process can push talented athletes out of the sport altogether.

That is why the federation dispute needs to be resolved before the South Asian Games, not during them.

Pakistan has approximately seven and a half months before the scheduled opening of the Games.

That is not an eternity in elite sport.

The question therefore is no longer:

When will preparations begin?

The question is:

Have the preparations actually begun, or are the files simply moving?

Because when the Games finally arrive, the target will be waiting.

The bow will be ready.

The arrows will be ready.

The spectators will be ready.

The only question that should not remain unanswered is:

Who will be standing behind Pakistan's archers?

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