The World Cup of Football, held in Brazil, made sports enthusiasts from all over the world focus on that particular event. Tonight, the final is played between Germany and Argentina in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and this morning we woke up to learn about the winner of the third place. And then it is all over, after all the preparations and logistics, drama and humiliation, joy and a great feast.

“I will definitely watch the final on TV. I have watched most of the matches, and it was fun,” says Athar Abbas, who works for GIZ, the German Agency for Development Cooperation, in Islamabad, and he adds that the semifinal, where Germany beat Brazil 7-1, was too humiliating for the host country.

“It wasn’t enough to remind everyone that sports should be considered a game, because, at the top level, it has gone far beyond that. It has become serious business and politics, sometimes even inflicting on the exchange rate of the countries of the winners and losers. The advertising value of sports personalities, clubs and countries is known to all,” Athar says. “It has gone too far, but I don’t see any way to turn it.”

He adds that he has established an organisation called ‘Fitrobics’, to promote sports activities in schools, colleges and communities.

“We wish to focus on sports as a social activity, and as a way of improving young people’s healthy living. We emphasise good physical and mental health, as well as good social skills. Sports should be fun for the participants, spectators and the whole community,” Athar Abbas says, mentioning that Fitrobics motto is ‘healthy youth – healthy nation’, noting that 2/3 of the country’s population are children and young people.

“Elite sports are important in our society, but it must not stop with that,” says Iqbal Jatoi, who is the country director of ‘Right to Play’ (RTP), an NGO established by the top athlete Johan Olav Koss, who won four gold medals in speed skating in the Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, 20 years ago.

“With some of the prize money, he established the NGO, and he made it into a network where businesspeople all over the world can donate funds to help develop sports activities for needy people in developing countries and in crises,” Iqbal explains.He explains that in Pakistan, RTP’s focus is on refugees and IDPs, mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.

“We are training trainers and coaches, and have some 50,000 participants in our activities. We are proud of having as many girls and women as boys and men.”

“The sports activities are no end in themselves. It is the friendship, teamwork and the many other outcomes that are important to us. It gives training in leadership, in both winning and losing, and life has both for all of us. It is a tool in building more considerate, kind and well rounded children,” he says.

“True, there is an element of competition and doing being good. But that must not overshadow the other aspects. If RTP was just a sports club, I would not have found it very important, although sports clubs are important, too. To me, it is the pedagogical aspects that make me so enthusiastic to work in this field. It is the best job I have had in my life,” Iqbal Jatoi, 65, says.

“It was a fantastic experience to go to Brazil for two weeks during the World Cup in Football,” say the six RTP teenagers, who have just returned to Pakistan. The three boys were from different areas of Pakistan, some of them from quite deprived backgrounds.

“I have seen pictures from their travel,” says Ali Khayam, who is information officer in RTP. “I am so proud of how the young boys and girls handled themselves and how great ambassadors they were for their land.”

“I am also glad that they enjoyed themselves and established new friendships,” says Sobia Ullah Khan, Arham’s mother. “They will cherish their memories for life,” she says.

“She is right,” Arham adds. “I already keep in touch with my new friends electronically. I have spoken with some on Skype. I hope to meet them again,” he says.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2014