KARACHI, April 7: ‘Can Sindh athletes improve their performance by attaining better position on the medals table in the 30th National Games this time or they will be among those who ‘also ran’?

This question has never been taken seriously since the games were awarded to the province in 2004. With the games slated to open on Monday, all eyes are focussed on its organisation to send a good message globally.

Sindh was placed sixth among 11 teams at the last games held at Quetta in 2004 by securing 31 medals – (4-9-18).

Ground reality shows that keeping in view their lack of preparation due to paucity of funds the chances of putting up a better show by the hosts seems bleak.

The provincial sports associations are dependant on government funding to run their activities including holding of camps. This practice is going on since long.

The SOA which remained dormant after Quetta games suddenly woke up at the eleventh hour to cash the 30th National Games by taking an office on rent and equipped it with necessary requirements.

Had this been done earlier with the help of sponsors, the results would have been different.

Frequent visits to the SOA office are a proof that their officials faced a lot of hardships in running day to day affairs and eagerly waited for the PST grant. Happiness was visible on their faces the day Rs4 million came in their kitty.

The decision to open a separate games account taken by the Sindh Sports Minister in his capacity as chairman organising committee, jeopardise all dreams.

It is on record that the SOA presented a proposed budget of about Rs6.4 million for holding month long training camps for men and women athletes to the chairman organising committee which were not entertained.

It was only last week that the Sports Minister disbursed some money through cheques to the provincial secretaries for organising their respective discipline. The second instalment was given on Saturday with the opening only two days away.

An amount of Rs4 million was given for painting the tennis courts at the CDGK Sports Complex which is primarily the responsibility of the city government.

Ghulam Akbar Shah Bokhari who has recently been promoted secretary sports Sindh and is one of a signatory of joint games account refrained to provide detail to Dawn. The SOA secretary Ahmed Ali said he did not possess the details. Does hiding information from media serve the purpose?

The less said the better. This is our system and one of the main factors of decline in sports.