LAHORE: The three-day 117th Annual Sports of the Government College University Lahore concluded here Sunday with a colorful ceremony at the university’s Oval Ground marked by the Gymkhana events including girls chatti race, cricket ball throw, pillow fighting, staff children race, wheel barrow race, musical chair and old Ravians handicap race. In all, 7000 students, teachers, staff members and Old Ravians participated in more than 70 different competitions at GCU’s annual sports gala. “The general decline in sports owes its origin to the fact that our negligence and overpopulation have taken away sports fields from our society in general and educational institutions in particular,” said former Olympian and Old Ravian Col (r) Saeed Ahmad Khan during his address at the closing ceremony. He remembered the wonderful role played by schools, colleges and universities as nurseries for sportsmen in the glorious past of Pakistan in the Olympics and other international events. Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Hassan Amir Shah said that GCU sports events stood out as the most colourful and exciting events in life of Lahore. “Our athletes play for the glory of sports and of their alma mater, and never used any unfair means to achieve vain glory which is short-lived and fruitless,” he said. GCU Chairman Sports Board Prof Dr Ikram-ul-Haq said that GCU achievements in the world of sports were no less impressive than what it had achieved in the field of academics. He said that GCU had produced hundreds of international sportsmen who represented Pakistan with pride in the Olympics, SAF Games and other international sports events. GCU Director Sports Khadim Ali Khan congratulated the winning teams, saying that promotion of sports ultimately curbed the inclination of youth towards negative activities and deterred them from getting swept off their feet by retrogressive forces.