KARACHI, July 20: The revised June 15 deadline by the government for the completion of selection process and restructuring of the sports bodies under the Sports Policy has also passed but the target remains largely unaccomplished.

More importantly, the Pakistan Sports Board (PCB) has not released the progress report either.

Initially, the PSB, with the concurrence of the Sports Ministry, directed the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and the sports federations to carry out the restructuring, hold elections and complete the process by April 14, 2002.

Due to resistance from various quarters and the resultant delays, the deadlines prescribed for completing the process at various tiers were advanced.

The revised schedule was:

Registration, scrutiny of clubs and elections at tehsil level by Jan 15; district level by Feb 15; provincial level by March 15; and national level by April 15.

This was to be followed by elections of the provincial Olympic associations by May 15, and conclude with the elections of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) by June 15.

Out of over two dozen federations governing various sports disciplines, the restructuring and election process has not been completed in majority of cases, concerned circles claim.

On the other hand, the elections of the Olympic associations has not been completed in any province. The POA has challenged the Sports Policy in a court of law.

Although the Sports Policy is debatable in many respects as it does not match the ground realities, the resistance from the sports bodies is on account of the clause pertaining to the disqualification of persons who have monopolized top offices and have treated these as their “jagirs”.

The Sports Policy places a bar on holding the offices of president, secretary and treasurer for more than two terms of four years each i.e. a total of eight years. But permits such persons to contest election for the next higher association — provincial office-bearers eligible to hold offices in a federation or the Olympic association.

It has been pleaded time and again that the sports board should engage the POA, sports federations and others in a dialogue on all aspects of the Sports Policy to hammer out the differences and to work out improvements keeping in view the ground realities.

Nobody known in the grassroots situation better than the persons involved at that level. The sports “waderas” need to be screened out but their vast experience and long association can be useful in ironing the difficulties and lecunae the authors of the Sports Policy had not obviously visualized.

On the political front, the government has announced a package which disqualifies politicians to hold the office of Prime Minister or Chief Minister for more than two terms (eight years).

A similar bar on sports Waderas under the Sports Policy is thus part of serious thinking on the part of government. The earlier the sports Waderas reconcile to it the better. Their days are numbered. The consensus among the sportsmen and the sports lovers throughout the country also supports the government view.

The Sports Policy is silent on the question of officials accompanying teams on foreign tours. It is also not a very specific about penalties including disqualifications where the federation/associations fail to submit audited accounts. Nor does it provide guidelines about government’s grant-in-aid or matching funds for development activities.

These and many other important areas need to be covered in the Sports Policy, and this can only be done if the government holds a number of consultative meetings and extended dialogue with all concerned, including the representatives of the POA, the sports federations etc.

The experience of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), both headed by serving Generals, will be particularly useful and enable the sports board to undertake the challenging task of reforming the sports in Pakistan.

Much time has already been lost but can be compensated by right thinking. Sports Minister S.K Tressler should intervene in the matter and find a solution to the impasse caused largely by the so-called bureaucratic ego.