PSB issues show-cause notice to Netball Federation over ‘misleading’ victory claim

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has issued a show-cause notice to the Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) for failing to respond within 72 hours regarding what PSB termed a misleading claim about the results of the Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025.

PSB Spokesperson Khurram Shahzad said the board had expressed serious reservations over PNF’s claim that the Pakistan Youth Girls’ Team secured first position in the championship held in Jeonju, South Korea, earlier this month, APP reported.

On July 13, 2025, PSB formally sought a clarification from the federation within three days. However, no response was received within the given timeframe.

Khurram also said the Netball Federation had circulated screenshots of a draft email through media sources. Moreover, on Friday, the Pakistan Netball Federation shared a dispatch receipt via WhatsApp, which carries the date of July 25, 2025.

However, he said, it is officially confirmed that, as of the stated time, no formal response has been received by the Pakistan Sports Board through either email or post.

The state-run and private media on July 4 reported that Pakistan have won the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship 2025, defeating Maldives with a commanding 60-35 score in Jeonju. Pakistan remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, it had further added.

Even President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had extended felicitation over the victory.

On Friday, PSB escalated the matter by issuing a formal show-cause notice to the federation. The notice stated that the federation’s failure to respond reflects a deliberate disregard for official correspondence and accountability, which could be interpreted as an implicit admission.

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The notice further highlighted that on July 9, 2025, PNF had formally claimed in a letter that the team had secured first place, whereas official results show Pakistan finished sixth. Despite being fully aware that PSB’s cash reward policy applies only to medal-winning teams, the federation still demanded a financial reward under that policy, the PSB said.

The misleading claim was also propagated through TV interviews and public statements by PNF Chairman Mudassar Razzaq Arain, who publicly declared a gold medal victory, thereby intentionally misleading the public and stakeholders.

PSB stated in the notice that these actions are in direct violation of Rule 21(1)(vi) of the PSB Constitution and Clause 5(1)(vi) of the Pakistan Code of Ethics and Governance in Sports. These provisions mandate accurate and timely information from federations and prohibit the misuse of authority.

The notice added that the false claim was made in pursuit of official recognition and financial reward, which constitutes not only an ethical breach but also a violation of the trust placed in the federation.

The PSB has instructed the federation to submit a written explanation within seven days from the date of issuance of the notice, justifying why a fine of one million rupees should not be imposed for this serious misconduct.

Failure to respond within the stipulated period will lead to unilateral action, and the matter will be referred to the PSB for further disciplinary and financial measures under the applicable rules, it warned.