Pakistani sports bodies engulfed in corruption and mismanagement

Pakistan’s sports sector remains in the doldrums due to entrenched corruption, chronic mismanagement, and sustained political interference. From cricket to hockey to kickboxing, various sports bodies in Pakistan have been blamed for alleged corruption, administrative failures, and the exploitation of athletes, according to the reports.

The year 2025 was marked by FIFA suspending the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) for the third time in eight years, following its failure to conduct fair and democratic elections and its violation of obligations mandated by the international body. 

Pakistani national Ahmad Rehan Khan said “ The Pakistan Football Federation has been suspended by FIFA for the third time since 2017 due to political interference from the Pakistani government. This is a recurring issue, with the government often prioritising cricket over other sports.” Karachi-based sports journalist Faizan Lakhani said FIFA’s concerns about the reluctance of PFFto hold elections highlighted why football in Pakistan was not progressing. “Few individuals have ruined Pakistan's football for their own vested interests.”

Now, polls are underway, and the two members of the PFF were taken into police custody, which a regional football body alleged was an attempt to disrupt the voting process and undermine the integrity of the elections.  Lahore-based scribe Wasim Ahmad said “Detaining PFF members ahead of key elections raises serious concerns of interference, undermines democratic norms, and reflects poorly on governance.”  

Cricket is the most loved sport in Pakistan, and it too has not remained untouched by corruption and mismanagement. An audit report in July 2025 exposed financial mismanagement and irregularities of over PKR 6 billion in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The audit reported discrepancies in ticketing services, appointment of coaching staff, broadcasting rights, and the rental and fuel consumption of bulletproof vehicles.

Earlier, former cricket captain Shahid Afridi accused PCB officials of selecting players for the national team through bribery and favouritism, which he said led to the country’s poor performance and diminished prospects for budding cricketers. "How will the team progress under such circumstances? When you don't provide justice to a player from the very beginning, what kind of results are you expecting?" he said. 

Earlier in 2025, demands were made for an inquiry into the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) over allegations of financial mismanagement and the siphoning of funds. A probe committee headed by Olympian Asif Baja called the financial losses “unfortunate” and “serious”, yet no action was taken. Now, former Olympians have demanded punishment for those behind the fund embezzlement. A decade ago, the Auditor General of Pakistan had questioned PHF officials' siphoning of money from the official bank account. However, no accountability was ensured that time, too.

An editorial by the prominent English daily Express Tribune blamed the administrative mismanagement for the country’s lacklustre performance on the international platform. “Young talent is no longer being nurtured, and the local clubs and schools that once fed into the national team have lost their focus. Moreover, administrative mismanagement has left the Pakistan Hockey Federation in disarray, with internal disputes and corruption hampering the sport's growth,” it reads. 

Even smaller sports in Pakistan have seen exploitation and corruption. Kickboxing players alleged that the Secretary of the Kickboxing Federation, Tahir Abbas, extorted PKR 5 million from them under the false pretext of arranging their participation in an international tournament.Pakistan Weightlifting Federation’s (PWLF) bank account faced suspension over irregularities in its functioning, corrupt practices and violations of the anti-doping code. 

Most importantly, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), whose key function is to monitor and regulate national sports bodies, is embroiled in corruption and mismanagement.The Directorate General Audit (DGA) unearthed several cases of financial irregularities and unauthorised expenditures in the PSB, totalling over PKR 7 billion. DGA highlighted unauthorised grant-in-aid, lavish expenditure on expensive phones, unnecessary and delayed construction works, and violation of public finance rules.

Sports writer Mohsin Ali said the PSB had become a milking cow for its top officials as they wasted and embezzled millions in the name of renovation works, even as they turned a blind eye to sportsmen and sport -building. “The mismanagement is the order of the day at the Board with everyone associated with the Board minting financial as well as ‘other’ benefits without giving any importance to the sole purpose of its existence and that is reflective in the miserable plight of sports and sports persons in the country,” Ali said.