THE head of Pakistan’s contingent to the Olympic Games wanted the athletes to parade in national dress, so that’s the way it ended up during the opening ceremony in London on Friday evening. Pakistani Olympians strutted their stuff in shalwar kameez instead of the gear the organisers had sent. According to the chef de mission, this was done “to show our culture.” Pakistan was not alone, for others — such as the Saudis in flowing thobes and Indians in bright yellow pagris — also displayed their cul-tural attire during the opening of the games.

If the ideas was to promote the national culture, rather than the shalwar kameez for the men it might have made more sense to wear the national dress, the sherwani, or even regional dresses to highlight the cultural diversity of Pakistan. But sartorial preferences are really secondary; what truly matters at the Olympiad is performance on the field. This time around we have sent athletes to compete in the disciplines of athletics, field hockey, shooting and swimming. While Pakistan has been competing in the games since the 1948 London Olympiad, over the past few decades the country’s performance at the Olympics has been highly unsatisfactory. The last time the country won a medal was at the Barcelona games in 1992. Compare this two-decade long dry spell with the fond memories of how Pakistan dominated Olympic hockey for nearly 30 years, starting with a silver medal at 1956’s Melbourne games to 1984’s unforgettable gold at Los Angeles. Sadly, the condition the national sport is currently in is quite depressing. Observers say chances of a medal in hockey are slim. For one, the team has not performed well in the warm-ups. Politics and mismanagement are partly to blame, while experts say the players are also having issues adjusting to the new blue turf. Aside from hockey, Pakistani athletes have also won medals in wrestling and boxing in past Olympiads. Despite the considerable odds, we will keep our fingers crossed in the hope that Pakistani athletes will bring home medals. Ultimately, however, it is hoped that the country’s athletes simply give it their best at the biggest sporting spectacle in the world.