THE country with a population of 220 million is being represented by just 10 athletes at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. Some of the participating athletes qualified for the Games without any support from the state or their respective sports federations. Neither the state nor the sports federations concerned have any role in producing these talented athletes.

There is a serious question mark on the performance of the state apparatus responsible for sports affairs as well as sports federations which have failed to produce athletes for the Olympic Games.

Reasons for this are obvious: negligence at the government level, politicised sports federations and the nation’s obsession with cricket. Together, the three elements have only ensured neglect for all the other sports. Resultantly, the corporate sector does not sponsor athletes and events related to any sport other than cricket.

Sadly, this unfortunate trend has continued even when we have a government which is being led by a prime minister who himself has been a sportsman of international repute.

Undoubtedly, we have no dearth of talented sportspersons in various fields. All these sports and games need proper attention and management that will help the country compete with the rest of the world at the international level.

Tariq Jamil
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021