The general public was found missing from two historic events organised to welcome the Fifa World Cup Trophy to Lahore. The trophy, on its 126,000-kilometre tour of the world, reached Lahore from Thailand on Saturday. A chartered plane landed at Lahore airport where no government dignitary was present to welcome the Fifa delegation as a global beverage company – acting as sponsors – had assumed total control over the arrangements.

The trophy was unveiled to a select gathering, including the media, at a five star hotel. Former Test cricket captain Younus Khan was the only celebrity, who spoke on the occasion, welcoming the trophy. Pakistan football captain Kaleemullah and skipper Hajra also spoke on the occasion.

French former World Cup player Christian Karembeu hailed the city of Lahore. He said it was an honour for the city to host the trophy for the first time.

Provincial Sports Minister Jahangir Khanzada was also present on the occasion and welcomed the trophy with the hope that this visit will attract the youth towards football. He also promised that more football grounds would be established in the province.

Later in the evening, the trophy was taken to a private housing society to display it at a ticketed event being held there.

The trophy started its world tour from London on Jan 22. Almaty, Kazakhstan is the next stop in the tour where it will reach on Sunday for a day. The trophy is made of pure gold and weighs 6.1 kilogramme.

Last week, the Sports Board Punjab honoured its athletes who had won gold, silver and bronze medals at the 2nd Quaid-i-Azam Youth Inter-provincial Games held in Islamabad in December.

Cash prizes worth Rs3.3 million were distributed among the athletes.

Punjab won the gala with 151 medals, including 74 gold, 46 silver and 31 bronze, showing how the provincial sports board has an important role to play to prepare athletes for international competitions. But so far, authorities had not realised this hard fact and were more interested in festive activities in the name of sports. The province urgently needed a well-equipped sports academy where foreign coaches, trainers, food specialists should be hired to hone skills of the talented players for international events.

Athree-day ‘Good Governance and Leadership Course’ under the auspices of Punjab Olympic Association with the collaboration of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) was held last week at the Olympic House.

The course was introduced in line with IOC, Olympic Agenda 2020 recommendations for Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance of the Olympic and Sports Movement. Around 30 participants/office-bearers of provincial sports associations of Punjab and executive committee members of Punjab Olympic Association attended the event.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2018