Pakistan Sports : A constant decline

 

Just like a luxurious and Beautiful building, if left abandoned for a long time, ends up becoming a place that is believed to be haunted, uninviting and repulsive, the same can be said about the unfortunate current situation of the Worlds biggest Hockey Stadium in Lahore, which is now, only a shell of its former glorious self, due to substantial negligence by the authorities. To have something of such prestige, tradition and value be reduced to such a sad and pitiful state is just a small example of the much bigger problem, which is the constant decline of the Sports industry in Pakistan. 

There was once a time, when this National Hockey stadium and Qaddafi Cricket stadium in Lahore, The National Stadium in Karachi and the Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamabad, among many others were buzzing with activity and passionate fans who used to turn up frequently to every national and international sporting events that were held there. But as time passed, the fire and passion in the Pakistani fans for these Sports has slowly diminished. Apart from Cricket, which is the only surviving sport left in the Country, most other sports that were once loved and cherished in Pakistan have died out to a very large extent.

The Real questions to ask here are - Why, How and Since When ?

Is it because the people have lost interest in Sports due to the arrival of newer modes of entertainment, or is it because the authorities and Media have not played their part in ensuring that the love for sports among the people stays relevant. I believe that it is a combination of both these things, and also the fact that Pakistan has passed its prime in the field of international sports a long time ago. In the year 1994, Pakistan was the proud world champion of 4 different sports. Cricket, Squash, Hockey and Snooker. That was undoubtedly the pinnacle of our Sporting history, and Pakistan remained prominent in these sports until the year 2000. however it was after that when things started going downhill. 

The trophy cabinet came to a standstill and the gold medals on the wall kept waiting for their next friend who never arrived. 

No longer do kids want to go into Hockey stadiums to spend quality time during the evening, and no longer are the newer generation willing to learn how to swing a Squash racket. This can be better explained by the fact that in the recently concluded Tokyo Olympics' 2021 , A batch of only 10 Athletes from Pakistan were able to qualify for the global event, and even more unfortunate was the fact that none of them could win a single medal for the country. One athlete from the batch even finished last in the Race and track games. Such performances from a country of Pakistan's history and stature are nothing short of an embarrassment for those who still care about Sports.

To understand the reasons better, I recently got into contact with a former world champion himself, and living legend of Pakistan Cricket Javed Miandad.  Javed also expressed dismay over the current situation of Pakistan sports. When I asked him about his thoughts on why sports has declined so much, his answer was quite interesting.

`` I Blame Technology the most. cell phones, Games and Internet. These things have stolen the value of sports and having good health in general ``

But besides that, Javed Miandad was of the opinion that a large blame for this failure is the lack of awareness for other sports created by the mainstream media. He said that while switching channels on TV, you can always find a few shows discussing cricket, but you will never hear anyone talking about Hockey or squash/ other sports.

He was also critical of the Pakistan Sports Board and their incompetence in properly facilitating the athletes in their respective sports. 

`` Most kids who take up sports in Pakistan are from poor backgrounds. I started that way too, and I know firsthand how difficult it is to manage yourself without the right resources. unless you have someone of high position backing you, true merit never prevails, and so many good athletes are never recognized `` 

Whatever the reasons may be, It is truly sad to know that the condition of Sports in Pakistan is on its last breaths, and unless something miraculous happens, there seems to be very little hope of survival, at least for every other sport except Cricket in Pakistan 

with Javed Miandad