Islamabad: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has rolled out the “Term Rules 2025,” a set of regulations designed to govern the operations of national sports federations. These rules, building on the National Sports Policy of 2005, impose new limitations on age and tenure for federation officials, alongside potential penalties for non-compliance.
Under the new regulations, the role of President is established as the highest office within any federation. Titles such as Chairman, CEO, or similar will no longer be accepted. The age limit for any office bearer is capped at 70 years, with positions vacated automatically once this threshold is met. Furthermore, individuals are prohibited from holding office in more than one federation at the same time. Federations are required to update their constitutions to align with these rules within 90 days.
The “Term Rules 2025” are comprised of six main clauses and twenty-four sub-clauses. They are effective immediately. The rules restrict an official to a maximum of two terms, each lasting four years, capping the total tenure at eight years. Officials who have held a senior office are barred from contesting lower-level posts thereafter. In the event of a vacancy, the position will be filled via election, with the new term contributing to the overall eight-year limit.
If a violation occurs, the Director General of PSB is empowered to initiate an inquiry. Proven misconduct can result in a four to six-year ban, during which the individual will be denied financial support, grants, facilities, consultative roles, membership, or benefits.
Should violations be ignored, the Director General may advise legal or administrative actions to the government. Persistent violations could lead to lifetime disqualification. A central database will be established by PSB, and disqualified individuals will be listed on its website.
Individuals affected by the rules can appeal to the Panel of Adjudicators. Appeals will be processed according to the “Code of Ethics and Governance in Sports.” Non-compliance with the new rules may result in the cancellation of federation registration and suspension of government funding.