ISLAMABAD : Punjab’s special advisor to Chief Minister on sports Wahab Riaz has introduced special measures aimed at reviving hockey in the country.
The former Pakistan cricketer explained the measures during a press conference in Lahore.
Chief among them is the Punjab government’s initiative of handing out monthly stipends to the 20 best hockey stars both international and local to ease their financial woes.
Chief Minister of Punjab announced monthly stipends for 20 best players. Initially, these players will start getting PKR20,000 each from next month. The pool of 20 will include national and international players, Wahab was quoted as saying.
This is just a start. Our aim is to revive our national game to its full potential. We will increase monthly stipends in the future, he went on to assure.
The 37-year-old also explained that under the new measures, a new facility to house 300 athletes is being planned.
We will train hockey players from small towns and provide them with all the facilities. We are also making efforts to make medical free for our national players, he continued during his press conference.
Wahab Riaz turning his attention to hockey is the latest development in his role since being named in the interim governing setup of Punjab. A role he has undertaken without a hitch.
He recently successfully hosted Ramadan Sports Series to find new talent in various sporting disciplines.
Wahab Riaz has also announced special prizes for athletes that do well in the National Games.
