Global Summit: Mohsin Nawaz Strongly Demands Separate ‘Sports Mental Health Policy’ to Safeguard Athletes
ISLAMABAD: Renowned long-range sport shooter and sports psychologist Mohsin Nawaz has called for a dedicated Sports Mental Health Policy in Pakistan, urging policymakers and national sports federations to make psychological preparation an integral part of athlete development.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026, recently held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, Nawaz welcomed the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination’s launch of the National Mental Health Policy. He stressed that its effective implementation across different sectors, including sports, would be essential to improving wellbeing and building a more resilient society.
Held under the theme “Building Climate-Resilient and Future-Ready Mental Health Systems for Children, Young People and Communities,” the summit provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health among young people and competitive athletes.
Nawaz argued that physical ability alone cannot guarantee consistent performances at the highest level. Athletes must also develop concentration, emotional control, confidence and the ability to manage pressure during major competitions. He cited Pakistan’s international sporting challenges to emphasise the need for sustained psychological support alongside technical and physical training.
“Pakistan possesses immense athletic talent and raw potential. However, consistent podium performances can only be sustained when physical training is complemented by systematic mental preparation, pressure management and emotional regulation,” Nawaz said.
He noted that elite athletes regularly face intense expectations, selection uncertainty, performance anxiety and the psychological strain of injuries. Without appropriate support, these pressures can affect decision-making, coordination, recovery and long-term participation in sport.
Nawaz also raised concerns about the lack of dedicated mental health professionals within Pakistan’s sports system. While teams commonly rely on physical trainers and physiotherapists, he said psychological support should receive comparable attention through qualified sports psychologists and structured mental conditioning programmes.
He urged sports authorities to establish support systems that protect athletes’ wellbeing, particularly during selection processes, training camps, injury rehabilitation and major international events. In his view, mental preparation should be continuous rather than introduced only when a player experiences difficulties.
Drawing on his experience as Pakistan’s first official sports psychologist at the 6th World Nomad Games 2026, Nawaz advocated a coordinated approach involving sports federations, coaches, medical teams and policymakers. He also highlighted the wider public impact of athletes discussing mental health openly, helping challenge stigma and encourage people to seek support.
A recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and a Lifetime Achievement Award, Nawaz is also an accomplished F-Class long-range shooter. Through his association with HawkSmith Gun & Sporting Club and international sporting brands, he supports initiatives aimed at modernising shooting facilities and promoting structured sports participation among young Pakistanis.
Nawaz called on relevant authorities to translate the momentum of the national summit into a practical sports mental health roadmap, ensuring that Pakistan’s athletes receive the psychological resources needed to compete confidently, protect their wellbeing and fulfil their potential on the international stage Mohsin Nawaz, a prominent Tamgha-e-Imtiaz recipient, Pakistan’s renowned long-range sports shooter, and a distinguished sports psychologist, attended the historic “Pakistan Global Mental Health Summit 2026” held at a local hotel in the federal capital. During the summit, he lauded the Ministry of National Health Services for establishing the country’s first comprehensive “National Mental Health Policy”, while forcefully demanding a highly specialized, separate “Sports Mental Health Policy” tailored explicitly for the athletic sector.
The central theme of this two-day global conference was “Building climate-resilient and future-ready mental health systems for children, youth, and communities.” [1] Addressing the summit, Mohsin Nawaz emphasized that the true impact of any national policy can only be realized if it is actively implemented across all functional sectors of society, particularly at the grassroots level for sports and young athletes.
Core Highlights from the Summit and Key Address
Advocating for the mandatory integration of sports psychology into national sports development, Mohsin Nawaz highlighted several critical gaps in Pakistan’s current sporting infrastructure:
- The Arshad Nadeem Case Study and Pressure Management: Mohsin Nawaz presented the past performance of Olympic Gold Medalist Arshad Nadeem as a key example. He pointed out that despite Nadeem’s extraordinary, world-class physical capabilities, he finished fourth at the Asian Games held in Japan. He identified that the absence of regular and continuous psychological preparation to handle intense global competitive pressure is the primary reason behind the performance inconsistencies observed in Pakistani athletes internationally.
- Systemic Neglect and Athlete Anxiety: He stated in clear terms: “There are absolutely no basic mental health facilities available for athletes in Pakistan. Unpredictable selection policies and the high-pressure environment of conventional training camps often induce severe psychological stress in players, actively hindering their true potential.”
Proposed Pillars for the New Sports Mental Health Policy
Mohsin Nawaz, alongside key clinical experts at the summit, presented a framework of urgent demands to the federal government and sports governing bodies to be included in the proposed policy:
- Mandatory Deployment of Sports Psychologists: Every national training camp operated under the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and provincial sports foundations must have a permanently designated, qualified sports psychologist.
- Transparent Selection Protocols: The athlete selection process must be strictly merit-based and transparent to eradicate the acute depression and performance anxiety caused by professional insecurity.
- International-Standard Mental Toughness Protocols: Special “Mental Toughness” and cognitive behavioral sessions must be integrated months before major international events like the Olympics and Asian Games to structurally prepare athletes for high-stakes pressure.
Response from Global Delegates and the Ministry of Health
The landmark summit saw participation from representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO), international psychiatric associations, and top officials from the Ministry of National Health Services. Recognizing Mohsin Nawaz’s demands as highly timely and accurate, health ministry officials assured the summit that they would collaborate with the Pakistan Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). They committed to integrating a dedicated sports mental health framework into the subsequent phase of the national health policy, ensuring that Pakistan’s sports heroes are structurally protected both physically and mentally.
