LAHORE: The sports community of the country, one of the worst hit due to Covid-19, has finally received a good news that Federal Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) Dr Fehmida Mirza has decided to take the four provincial sports boards besides Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan sports officials on board for a session to find solutions to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

However, the ministry has not made any effort to involve the national sports federations and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) in the discussions, despite the fact that a majority of the national federations are affiliated with the POA.

As the employees of the Pakistan Sports Board and provincial sports boards are regular employees of the government, they are unlikely to be facing such financial hardships that are being faced by those whose incomes have stopped due to lack of any sports activity at any level.

It is a fact that as many as 90 per cent of the sports community of players, trainers, coaches and other technical staff have their earning attached to matches and sports competitions. Currently, they all are sitting at home and are either forced to spend all their savings or are struggling to survive on a day to day basis.

Meanwhile, according to a press release, the minister in the first phase had made four suggestions based on which a joint discussion should be held on immediate basis.

These four areas which required debate are: a. Adverse impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the overall sports of the country; b. Steps taken so far by the provincial, AJK and GB governments to mitigate sufferings of the sports persons/athletes; c. Support provided by the provincial, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan governments to the sportspersons to overcome their financial crises and d. to evolve a comprehensive strategy to cope with the challenges being faced in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, according to the press release, the federal minister had written a letter to all the provincial governments in this regard.

“Dr Fehmida Mirza, Federal Minister for IPC/President PSB, through a letter written to the provincial, AJK and GB Sports Ministers, requested to convene a virtual session of the Federal Sports Coordination Committee to address problems faced by the sportspersons and evolve a comprehensive strategy to cope with the challenges being faced in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

“On behalf of the Federal Government, the minister stated that sports have multidimensional role in the modern world. Its significance to integrate masses, create healthy and peaceful culture in any society cannot be under estimated, being equally useful for socio-economic development. The multifarious role of sports has proven its utility and usefulness, especially for nations like Pakistan.

“The minister highlighted that prevailing Covid-19 pandemic has not only brought the social life to a standstill but has also adversely affected the sports activities across the country. All the sports events at national and international level have either been postponed or cancelled. In this scenario, the overall activities including sports have suffered badly.

“In this context, remedial measures at federal and provincial/regional level are warranted on urgent basis. To cope with the situation, she passionately called for the collective efforts to resolve the issues of sportsmen in this emergency situation of Covid-19 pandemic,” it concluded.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2020