THESE are good times for women’s sports in the country. The National Women’s Football Championship is in progress in Islamabad; the women’s cricket team is all set to take on the visitors from India; the swimmers have just won medals at the 4th Islamic Women’s Games in Tehran, and, of course, Karachi is hosting the latest edition of the National Women’s Hockey Championship.
Led by Barrister Shahida Jamil, the Women’s Wing of Pakistan Hockey Federation has done a good job in terms of promotion of the game in the country, and especially regarding the organization of the latest event. But, frankly, it was only expected because Shahida Jamil has a family history of interest in the game.
The entry to such events is only through invitations, and all officials — administrators, umpires and judges — are all women, and I find it perfectly understandable. I believe in respecting social norms, and in a process of evolution rather than revolution. Women’s sporting events have to be conducted in a discreet manner, and the PHF approach is correct in this regard.
On the administrative, while it is important to keep holding domestic competitions on the women’s circuit, it is equally vital to give some international exposure to these girls. We have benefited immensely in, say, athletics, tennis, cricket and swimming because our girls were sent abroad, and some level of international activity was hosted by the country as well. Hockey needs a similar treatment. I have observed a few games that are being played at the Hockey Club of Pakistan Stadium, and can safely say that the talent is very much there. All it needs is professional grooming.
There is one practical problem with the women’s games, be it hockey or anything else. In fact, it is not just the arena of sports; other areas of professional life suffer the same way. Girls take admission to medical colleges, engineering universities and other professional avenues, and pitch in years of hard work only to lead a domesticated life, leaving all that they had learned to rot. The same happens with sports, hockey being no exception. The girls play hockey for a few years and just when they start to have a hang of the game, it is time for them to call it quits, get married and forget everything else.
If you ask me, I find absolutely nothing wrong with the girls, be they doctors, engineers or players. The blame has to be shared by society and in large proportion by the immediate families concerned. It is often the husband and the in-laws that clamp such restrictions, which is a pity. Again, in line with our social environment, while boys can delay marrying till he is active on the playing circuit, girls are not allowed such a luxury, and have to marry by a certain age that is socially acceptable.
We can sympathize with the girls, but naturally we cannot change social preferences in a hurry. The thing to do for our hockey administrators is to catch them young around the 14-16 age bracket, groom them and give them international exposure so that they can earn laurels for the country. When girls can go to international swimming, athletics, squash and cricket contests, why can’t we have our hockey team doing the same?
If we start making serious efforts, I am sure the International Hockey Federation will also come forward with professional and financial help. A few years ago, the FIH was awarded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Women and Sport Achievement Diploma in recognition of its contribution to the promotion of women in sport.
The FIH is worldwide considered one of the most gender balanced sports bodies and has far exceeded the IOC’s Women and Sport Working Group’s goal for the representation of women in the Executive Boards of International Olympic Federations. Indeed, the FIH elected its first female president, Mrs Els van Breda Vriesman, in April 2001. While conferring the honour, the IOC had stated in its news release at the time that women involved in hockey “have been the pioneers of women’s sport since the 1920s.”
With such an impeccable record, it is only logical to expect FIH help in our efforts. However, the basic groundwork has to be done locally. Let’s make a start today. Women’s hockey deserve it.
THESE are good times for women’s sports in the country. The National Women’s Football Championship is in progress in Islamabad; the women’s cricket team is all set to take on the visitors from India; the swimmers have just won medals at the 4th Islamic Women’s Games in Tehran, and, of course, Karachi is hosting the latest edition of the National Women’s Hockey Championship.
The entry to such events is only through invitations, and all officials — administrators, umpires and judges — are all women, and I find it perfectly understandable. I believe in respecting social norms, and in a process of evolution rather than revolution. Women’s sporting events have to be conducted in a discreet manner, and the PHF approach is correct in this regard.
There is one practical problem with the women’s games, be it hockey or anything else. In fact, it is not just the arena of sports; other areas of professional life suffer the same way. Girls take admission to medical colleges, engineering universities and other professional avenues, and pitch in years of hard work only to lead a domesticated life, leaving all that they had learned to rot. The same happens with sports, hockey being no exception. The girls play hockey for a few years and just when they start to have a hang of the game, it is time for them to call it quits, get married and forget everything else.
If we start making serious efforts, I am sure the International Hockey Federation will also come forward with professional and financial help. A few years ago, the FIH was awarded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Women and Sport Achievement Diploma in recognition of its contribution to the promotion of women in sport.
