Though several sports associations had organized sports events while some others to follow them to celebrate the Independence Day, serious efforts are needed to promote the declining sports culture in Pakistan. The smallest ever Pakistan contingent, participating in the ongoing Rio Olympics, tells it all.

Only seven athletes are representing the country at the Olympics, the world most prestigious event in the world of sports. Among those seven, four players, two each from athletics and swimming, were included through wild card entries.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) grants wild card entries to all those countries whose athletes and swimmers fail to qualify for the mega event and it is done only to show solidarity among the countries of the world.

Three other players -- two shooters and one judokas -- qualified for the games on the basis of quota system. This time the IOC has also entered a special contingent, comprising players, who have migrated from their home countries for different reasons.

For the first time, the Pakistan hockey team could not qualify for the Olympics and its absence has triggered a debate in the sporting circles about a sharp decline in Pakistan sports.

Since partition, our hockey team had been competing at the Olympics and earned three gold medals in 1960, 1968 and 1984. Ten officials are also in Brazil as part of the contingent.

On the contrary, India has fielded a big contingent of 121 athletes, showing a clear edge over Pakistan in sports. The Indian government and their corporate sector have invested billion of rupees in the development of several sports. The number of their athletes at the Olympics clearly shows that India have earned many successes due to this huge investment.

But in Pakistan, neither the government nor the corporate sector has any interest to invest in sports to earn laurels at the Olympics. All super powers -- US, China, Russia, and European countries like Great Britain, France and Germany -- have fielded big contingents.

Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) president Khawaja Nadeem is hopeful for the installation of floodlights at the LCCA ground this year. The project was to be initiated about four years back. The Punjab government has allocated Rs40 million funds in the fiscal budget 2016-17.

Mr Nadeem says the project will be completed this year as a private company has already conducted its survey. The work on the project will start soon after getting funds, providing cricketers the much-needed facility.

He says the LCCA also has planned to build a hostel and to increase the seating capacity for spectators at the LCCA ground.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started a high performance camp for players at the National Cricket Academy this last week.

After the training camp, the national selectors will pick up a strong Pakistan team for the one-day series against Ireland and England.

Overall 31 players are attending the camp. The ODI series is to start soon after the ongoing four Test match series against England.

The strong contenders for the selection of the ODI team are: Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Irfan, Anwar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Umer Gul, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Babar Azam and Sohaib Maqsood.

Former Test all-rounder Mudassar Nazar is conducting the camp.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2016