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LAHORE: Lamenting the pathetic and highly unprofessional manner officials of various sports federations in the country have managed their affairs since long, former secretary Punjab Lawn Tennis Association (PLTA) Bashir A. Gill on Saturday predicted a dismal show by Pakistani athletes in majority of disciplines — owing to the culture of demerit — at next year’s Olympics.
Bashir termed the decision of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) of fielding Aisam-ul-Haq and Aqeel Khan in the 2012 Olympics late, and further alleged it was taken just to pave the way for the visit of some federation officials to London.
“As the date draws closer, our self-seeking sports officials have scrambled to manipulate a joy ride to London for themselves and their players. The notion of ‘first deserve and then desire’ is totally alien to them,” Bashir told Dawn.
“The undeserving individuals are using all sorts of tricks and excuses to accompany the Pakistani contingent, and to secure the inclusion of their discipline in the list of sports in which Pakistan may participate [in London]. The most common excuses being they [players and/or officials] are participating on self-finance basis without demanding any funds; it will give exposure to athletes to produce better performance in future; and the participation will present a soft image of Pakistan to the world,” Bashir added.
Self-financing was absurd as far as the Olympics was concerned, he emphasised.
“You participate to perform, to win laurels for the country, and not just to participate for the sake of participation,” he asserted. “Likewise, the excuse of exposure has no relevance anymore because we have been hearing this [flimsy] justification for the last 64 years. When will we come out of this ‘exposure’ mode?
“And as for the soft image, a victory lap by a winning athlete with the national flag fluttering around his body is the most potent way of presenting a soft image of one’s country,” he expressed.
“Remember Aisam’s speech after the men’s doubles final at the 2010 US Open? That brief talk by a Pakistani star was more Pakistan-friendly than fielding many weaklings at the Olympics,” he opined.
“The POA and PSB will be under different pressures to inflate the Pakistani contingent. However, this is a totally flawed and misguided thinking on the part of our sports persons, and needs to be overhauled if our nation is to achieve its goals and gain a respectable position in sports.
“Undoubtedly, we require a complete overhaul of the way our sports persons and national federations think and function,” Bashir stressed.
“With the present level [of our athletes’ performances] we don’t stand any chance to win a medal in any discipline except, of course, hockey and to some extent wrestling, boxing and rowing/sailing.
“Thus, if any sport — besides the above mentioned ones — is to be included by the POA in the list of sports for London 2012, then the minimum qualifying standard should be the Asian Games level of performance,” he underlined.
“And some food for thought: all our young talented athletes may be sent to China to undergo training for a year or so. Look how China has reached the pinnacle of world sports during the last decade,” Bashir concluded.
