Pakistan's Commonwealth Games showing exposes deep flaws in sports system

Pakistan's disappointing performance at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow has once again highlighted the country's long-standing structural problems in sports administration, with governing bodies, particularly the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), facing renewed scrutiny.

Pakistan returned from Glasgow with just one medal, a bronze won by female boxer Fatima Zehra in the women's 60kg category.

Zehra became Pakistan's first female boxer to win a Commonwealth Games medal. The country's previous boxing medal came at the 2014 Glasgow Games, where Mohammad Waseem, now a professional boxer, claimed silver.

The biggest setback for Pakistan was Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, who failed to defend his Commonwealth title and was eliminated early in the 12-man javelin final.

Arshad had won gold at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where Pakistan finished with eight medals, including two gold, three silver and three bronze.

Another major disappointment came in judo, where Pakistan's leading judoka and two-time Olympian Shah Hussain exited in the round of 16 of the plus 100kg category after losing convincingly to a Canadian opponent.

Based in Tokyo, Shah had won silver in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games despite competing with an injury. Injury problems also forced him to abandon his qualification campaign for the Paris Olympics. Although he made a surprise return for Glasgow, he appeared short of his best form.

Pakistan has traditionally relied on wrestling and weightlifting for Commonwealth Games medals. However, wrestling was not included in the 2026 programme while Pakistan did not field any weightlifters because of administrative issues within the national federation.

The absence of leading weightlifters Talha Talib and Nooh Dastgir Butt was particularly costly. Both athletes have been in strong form and their participation could have significantly improved Pakistan's medal prospects.

The results underline broader concerns about Pakistan's sports structure. The country lacks a sustainable athlete development system with inadequate long-term planning, insufficient training programmes and limited institutional support.

Persistent disputes among sports federations and governing bodies have further weakened the system. Unless greater coordination and stability are restored, Pakistan is unlikely to make consistent progress on the international stage.

Athletes also require access to high-quality coaching, overseas training opportunities, modern sports science and proper nutritional support. Many of these requirements remain unavailable under the current system.

Even world-class athletes such as Arshad Nadeem have faced difficulties in receiving the sustained support needed to remain competitive at the highest level, a challenge that was evident in Glasgow.

With the Asian Games approaching, Pakistan's sports authorities, particularly the Pakistan Sports Board as the country's principal funding body, face increasing pressure to strengthen the sporting ecosystem by improving governance, supporting athletes and resolving institutional disputes rather than allowing divisions to undermine performance.