Going forward, sports is our best bet

75 years is a milestone in the life of every person, an organization or even a country! We have reached this glorious milestone by the grace of Almighty Allah. It’s our responsibility to look ahead and find new ways, some sporty ways, to change the narrative. Let’s see how that can happen.

It was a wonderful sight to see athletes from relatively lesser known countries winning at the recent 2022 World Athletics Championships and the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. They presented their respective countries to the world with distinction and sovereignty. It was that easy to win the hearts of people on the world stage.

Nooh Dastagir Butt (weightlifting) and Arshad Nadeem (javelin) honored Pakistan in Birmingham and lifted the spirits of a nationwide crowd by bagging the ultimate gold! It was a sight to behold to see our own world champions on the podium as spectators in the packed stadiums stood (with millions watching on TV) to pay their respects to our glorious flag and national anthem. Have we finally grown up in global sport?

At the World Games, fourteen unlikely countries snatched the GOLD from athletes from advanced nations of the world: Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Grenada, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Qatar, Slovenia, the Bahamas, Uganda and Venezuela. Their victories prompted a million smiles and an ocean of tears. It was a heartwarming experience.

Since not much has helped us in our quest for a softer Pakistani image, we can safely assume that sport is our best bet. Let’s work on this front as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our independence on August 14, 2022. We must look beyond our gimmicks and present Jinnah’s Pakistan with seriousness, determination and all the values ​​that the sport teaches us – hard work, discipline, dedication, honesty, magnanimity and chivalry. Let our sporting victories define our global reputation as a nation and spark a ray of hope for generations to come.

The following countries (listed alphabetically) have won medals in international competitions or made an impression in their respective sports disciplines in recent years: Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Greece, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Latvia, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Uganda, Ukraine and Venezuela.

Many other smaller countries of Europe, Far East and Middle East did not make the list but have made their mark on global podiums. It’s a fantastic display of hard work, perseverance and resilience. What a great feeling for the athletes of these countries to stand proudly on the podium, see their flags fluttering and sing their national anthems! Sometimes tears roll down the faces of these athletes who cannot contain their feelings for their beloved country. We could see that pride on both Nooh and Arshad’s faces! We owe them a large part of our future planning.

The countries listed above are not superpowers or economic giants, but truly devoted nations enjoying their newfound successes through hard work and dedication. Their athletes compete fiercely and win events with amazing grace, adorning themselves with country flags with pride and bringing home the glory and joy that catapults their beloved countries to the envy of people around the world.

It is very unfortunate that Pakistan is not consistently represented in this community of nations. The time has come for Pakistan to turn to sport if we are to win the hearts of people everywhere by turning a new page in our history. Every outlet worth its salt covers global sporting events, live or as part of its news coverage. These are major events on the global stage where nearly every nation, big or small, rich or poor, major or minor, steps up and shines in its own determined way.

Top events include the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Soccer World Cup, Wimbledon Tennis Championships, US Open, Roland Garros (French) Open, Australian Open, Golf Masters, PGA Championships and the Ryder Cup. Although cricket has a huge television audience, largely because of the large populations in the countries where it is played, viewed and enjoyed, it is not among the major draws of the global sporting world. Hence the saying “Jungle my morr nacha, kis ne dekha”.

Even under the circumstances, I have no doubt as to why Pakistan cannot produce world-class athletes who can compete with the best. While we have the human resources, natural physical and intellectual abilities, we do not have an organized system for scouting, identifying, training and coaching potential stars. Sport in Pakistan can change for the better if there is adequate federal and corporate funding. So this is our challenge going forward as we celebrate and move beyond our 75th anniversary of independence.