Punjab Youth Sports Festival 2012 rolls into action today

The much-awaited Punjab Youth Sports Festival 2012 will roll into action among the Sports and Youth Development Council (S&YDC) at Neighbourhood and Village level from August 26 (Sunday).
This was stated by chief organizer of the Punjab Youth Festival 2012 Deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan in a press briefing here at the conference hall of the Sports Board Punjab on Saturday. Director General Sports Board and Youth Affairs Punjab Mr Usman Anwar was also present on the occasion.
“It has for the first time in the history of the country that Guinness Book of World Records is the official partners of the PYF 2012 which is setting up new benchmark. They will be in the country by the mid of October to monitor and beam the events of the Festival throughout the globe and record GWR attempts by the Pakistan nationals.”
Punjab is going to set yet another standard after the successful organization of the Punjab Sports Festival as around 50 million people belonging to 55200 Sports and Youth Development Councils will participate and witness this grand event. He informed that the matches and competitions will start simultaneously at all the 55,200 S&YDC in the first phase of the PYF 2012. This phase have nine events to be contested in two sectors.
He further stated that the PYF will be contested at six different phases while Neighbourhood and Village level is its first stage.
Rana Mashhood said: “The first phase have total prize money of Rs 16,800 at each council and will have competitions in seven sports and two general categories.”
He said that in the open category concerned neighbourhood and villages will only be eligible to participate in the competitions among teams and individuals.
He further informed that the limited-over or short time matches will be held on knockout basis through open draws.
“The best players from among the best performers will be picked up and scrutinised by a selection committee and the selected player will be notified to the S&YDC to preserve the talent. And they will further be selected to form the team to compete at the Union Council level, which is the second stage of the Festival,” he informed and added that there will be a jury of appeal to resolve selection mattes and disputes.
He further said that employees, sportsmen and professional players will not be allowed to participate in any competitions but will be allowed to compete only in inter-departmental events at Provincial level.
“The competitions of arms wrestling, athletics, badminton, billiard, cricket tape ball, tug of war and volleyball, and naat khani and qirat will be conducted and supervised by Tehsil Sports Officials, Union Councils, assistant commissioners and concerned DCOs,” he added.
Rana Mashhood also informed that there is no registration fee to participate in any competition, which would conclude at the neighbourhood and village level most probably on September 6 and will be followed by Union Council level of the Festival.
He further informed that the details of the conduct of the events is also available on the web portal (www.sportsportal.punjab.gov.pk), offices of tehsil sports officials, Union Councils, assistant commissioners and concerned DCOs.
“We have launched yet another grand slam event to give direction to the youth of the country and revive sports culture in the province,” he added.