LAHORE: After the Supreme Court orders the other day to revive all business activity after a 50-day long lockdown due to Covid-19, a lot of humdrum is being seen in almost all sectors across the country. However, the sports sector is still without any activity as the government has not yet come out with any specific plan to devise SOPs for it despite it being a very important sector.
But a good news may be in the offing for sports as according to a spokesman of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Azam Dar, Federal IPC Minister Fehmida Mirza is going to interact with the respective provincial sports ministers through video link on June 4 to review the entire situation.
The spokesman said that at the end of the meeting it would be clear when the sports activities will be allowed to resume in the country.
Interestingly, while traders and transporters launched a brisk campaign to force the government to open their businesses and evetually succeeded in their efforts, the sports community, despite being hit hard, has still not been able to organise a strong joint campaign for revival of activity.
Thousands of coaches, trainers, players, referees, umpires and ground staff are sitting idle at their homes while no national sports federations or provincial sports bodies have strongly voiced demands for the revival of sports competitions and activity.
Many technical staff, besides the players and coaches are heavily dependent on the local sports activities for their survival and the long duration of the lock down has indeed augmented their financial problems.
The local sports can be revived under strict SOPs and with empty stadiums. In fact, the resumption of the local activities will also give a direction to the PCB, Pakistan Hockey Federation and other sports’
federation to identify the shortcomings and remove them before starting their respective activities.
When contacted Pakistan Olympic Association Secretary General Khalid Mahmood said the IOC had sent the SOPS for holding the sports activity and the POA had forwarded those instructions to all the affiliated units.
Asked why the sports community was lacking the will and effort to prevail upon the government for giving priority to the resumption of sports activities, Khalid said they were surely keen about it but due to the holy month of Ramazan, it was not possible to organise the sports activities right away.
“But after Eid-ul-Fitr the sports community would take the necessary steps to get prepare the SOPs with the collaboration of the government,” he said.
Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2020
