Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), once again, has undermined the efforts of all stakeholders — coaches, national sports federations, doctors and Pakistan Olympic Association — by not inviting them for a meeting with Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. It has become a norm for the PSB for not taking all stakeholders, including National Olympic Committee (NOC) Pakistan, on board on important occasions. And it seems intentional. The PM on Thursday hosted a ceremony in the honour of Pakistan’s medal winners at the recent concluded Commonwealth Games in England and the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey at the Prime Minister Office. The PM awarded cash awards to medal winning athletes at both the events. Strangely, the PSB did not invite the officials of the POA, medal-wining national sports federations, departments and doctors attached with the athletes. “We are disappointed that the Pakistan Sports Board, once again, has tried to undermine the efforts of all stakeholders like coaches, federations, doctors and National Olympic Committee (NOC) for reasons best known to them by keeping them away from meeting the PM,” POA Secretary General Khamod Mahmood told Daily Times on Friday. He said there was a whole team behind each athlete and each of these dedicated members contributed in an unmeasurable manner to help the athletes in achieving the best possible result. “Not to recognise the efforts of these personnel along with the officials of Army Sports Directorate, WAPDA Sports Board and other departments as well as the volunteers working in the national sports federations is regrettable and deplorable,” Khalid lamented. He said all mentioned officials were not made part of the programme at the Prime Minister Secretariat. “Their presence would have encouraged them in their resolve to work harder and they had given the Prime Minister a broader picture for the sports development in Pakistan,” Khalid added.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan is reverting back to the structure that saw it deliver its greatest sporting triumphs. The Prime Minister on Thursday announced that he was reversing the decision of the previous government to stop public departments, corporations and autonomous bodies from funding sports teams. That move by Imran Khan’s government to put an end to the departmental structure and transition towards a regional system had rendered many sportsmen jobless but was never fully implemented. Athletes in Pakistan have for long relied on departmental jobs to take care of their financial matters in order to concentrate on sports. The PM also promised that steps would be taken to hold sporting events at college and university levels to provide maximum channels to youth to excel in sports.

“The Pakistan Olympic Association appreciates and thanks PM Shehbaz Sharif for motivating and extending personal patronage to those national athletes who have recently represented Pakistan at the Commonwealth Games and Islamic Solidarity Games. This interaction will be a source of great encouragement for all Pakistan athletes,” Khalid said. He added the POA appreciated the Prime Minister for restoring sports departments that provide athletes with employment opportunities, training facilities and other support so that they could focus on their athletic development. “All medallists are associated with Army Sports Directorate and WAPDA Sports Board and their continuous support to these athletes has played a significant role in enabling them to bring laurels for Pakistan.” Khalid was all praise for Federal Minister of Inter Provincial Coordination Division Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari. “The Olympic Family appreciates the efforts of IPC Minister Ehsan ur Rehman for facilitating and recognising the contributions of national athletes.”