Mon, Jan 20, 2025 | Rajab 20, 1446 | DXB ktweather icon0°C

Sports Sets Sights On Past Glory

New sports policy on cards to change the working of sport bodies that will help revive sports activities

Published: Mon 14 Aug 2023, 2:15 PM

Updated: Mon 14 Aug 2023, 2:17 PM

  • By
  • Muhammad Qamarullah

Top Stories

Witnessing a decades-long decline of sports in the country, the independent experts and sportsmen held institutional politics and lack of funding that hampered adequate training of sportsperson, responsible for Pakistan’s dismal performance and failing all endeavors to turn the tide.

Introduction of some drastic changes to arrest the decline, new sports policy to change the working of sport bodies was on the card but the national political instability became the tumbling block. However, the new sports administration managed the second part of the plan i.e., more funds — the adequate budgetary allocations to ensure proper training for the players on one hand and improvement of the sports infrastructure on the other.

The enhanced budgetary allocation to the tune of Rs290 million at Rs2.34 billion in 2023-24 budget, Pakistan Sports Board expects to revive the sports to its full potential by taking ahead the plans already in place and which have generated some sparks in the arena so far. Overcoming the security issues, the foreign players and teams started showing interest in sports events happening in Pakistan.

Pakistan has recently hosted CNS International Squash Championship, Malam Jabba International Alpine Ski Cup, CAS Karakoram International Alpine Ski Cup, Kabaddi World Cup as well as international cricket matches with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh during the last two months. The prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club of England is the latest to visit and play in Pakistan under the captaincy of Kumar Sangakkara on a weeklong tour.

The skiers from Canada, Greece, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkey; squash stars from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Egypt; and Kabaddi players from countries like India, Iran, Germany, England, Canada, Australia, Azerbaijan and Sierra Leone have shown up in Pakistan recently. This is an encouraging sign of revival of international sports in Pakistan. It can also be instrumental to kick start the much-needed foreign investment in sports and tourism.

The recent achievements of Pakistani players also contributed in the revival of sports in the country; Pakistan’s Noor Zaman defeating Malaysian player Joachim Chuah in the final, secured the 29th Asian Junior Individual Squash Championship 2022 title at Pattaya, Thailand, another young talent Usman Wazeer bringing World Boxing Association, Asia Welterweight title home, Dilawar Khan won gold medal at World Martial Arts Games and Hamza Khan illuminated at home and abroad when he won the Junior Squash Championship. It won’t be out of place to mention that Pakistan and Afghanistan are scheduled to play three ODI series this month. However, ODI World 2023, Pakistan versus India is likely to be rescheduled.

The squash legend Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan, the hockey team and the cricketers gave the country an identity at international Olympic events in the past. Similarly, World Cup-winning triumphs in hockey by winning two World Cups, two Champions Trophy titles and an Olympic gold within a span of just six years (1978-84) made Pakistan prominent in the world of sports. Being among the top four and winning a record four World Cups consistently, Pakistan is now 18th in hockey rankings. The nation has not won a single medal at the Olympics since 1992 which is not a satisfactory performance at all on the part of those at the helm of affairs during all this period.

The 1992 ICC World Cup victory and many international wins achieved by the legendary Jahangir and Jansher Khan along the road and a surprise from Mohammad Yousuf who won the world snooker title — were enough evidence of talent and skill of the Pakistanis. All the past glory is still be tamed back to Pakistan, Fawad Hashmy, a senior sports writer said, adding, the international exposure like hosting international events with participation of foreign teams and local teams participating in respective events abroad can enhance confidence of the players.

Such activity also ensures the local and foreign media coverage that helps boost the morale of the players besides making it glamorous, he said. Promotion of Tourism is closely knitted in the promotion of sports. Hence the authorities need to take bold decisions to attract investment for upgrading the facilities and approach-roads to the tourist spots while working on the revival of sports plans, he added.

The experts see cricket on the right track but express concern over the deteriorating performance of other games for which they suggest holding more domestic tournaments along regional lines where corporations instead of fielding their own teams, offer sponsorship. It was also suggested that number of teams should be reduced at first class to ensure tough competition as that of the Australian model instead of following the British county system. There should be a pyramid system below the top tier with more teams and leagues, going all the way to the grassroots level. A personal training instructor was of the opinion that school level training and district level tournaments backed by sponsorship from small businesses can play a pivotal role in the overall revival of sports in the country.

Hokey can also make its comeback if the authorities make some bold administrative and financial decisions like giving PHF the same status which is being enjoyed by PCB, resources to lay Astro-turf in every city or at least in those areas where hockey is still a popular game and were once the major supplier of players to the national team. Pakistan has few Astro-turf stadiums due to which hockey clubs in the country played and trained their players on grass and these players struggled when they were selected for playing on Astro-turfs.

— The author is former managing director at Associated Press of Pakistan and a seasoned journalist who had worked in different newspapers, news channels in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad.



Next Story