The decision to lock and shut the PSB Coaching Centre in Peshawar is being viewed by sports stakeholders as a damaging turn for sports development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PSB Coaching Centre has long provided a rare structured pathway for young athletes from the province to receive professional training and basic facilities under a federal programme.
For decades the Pakistan Sports Board has maintained a presence in the province that goes beyond bricks and mortar. The centre has offered qualified coaches, a training ecosystem and talent grooming opportunities that are not easily duplicated by ad hoc provincial facilities. With limited resources across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, many families and aspiring athletes relied on the stability and standards the PSB Coaching Centre delivered.
Federal-run coaching centres in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab continue to operate with the aim of giving athletes equal opportunities to prepare for national and international competitions. The abrupt closure in Peshawar removes that pathway for local athletes and risks creating an uneven playing field between provinces. Those affected warn that the move will immediately hinder training schedules and long-term athlete development in the region.
Claims by provincial authorities that the facility is redundant or should be absorbed by the province have been challenged by officials from the Pakistan Sports Board. PSB representatives note that the centre was established decades ago with a specific mandate and infrastructure, and that its professional training system and institutional expertise cannot be recreated overnight by transferring ownership.
PSB officials have also signalled legal and constitutional concerns, saying the provincial administration is not authorised to close or take possession of a federal institution. Sports administrators say the shutdown risks straining federal-provincial relations and sets a worrying precedent for other federally supported programmes operating in provinces.
Athletes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa already face constrained resources and limited access to standard coaching. Closing the PSB Coaching Centre further weakens a fragile support system and undermines efforts to cultivate talent that could represent Pakistan internationally. Stakeholders urge both federal and provincial leaders to engage in constructive dialogue, restore access to training, and avoid turning the future of athletes into a point of conflict.
