In the Paris Olympics, Pakistan has finally joined the ranks of countries that have won at least one gold medal. There are still many countries that have yet to win a single medal. Pakistan won a gold medal in the individual javelin throw event.
After 40 years, Pakistani athlete Arshad Nadeem, who won an Olympic gold medal, received a grand welcome in Lahore. According to media reports, within hours of winning the gold medal, Arshad Nadeem gained millions of followers on social media. When Arshad Nadeem was awarded the gold medal in Paris on Friday, the entire nation of Pakistan rejoiced.
In the midst of the current difficult economic conditions and the environment of terrorism, winning a gold medal has become a source of joy for the citizens of Pakistan. The government also expressed happiness and enthusiasm, with announcements of rewards for Arshad Nadeem. While it is a positive development that the athlete who won a gold medal for Pakistan is being encouraged, there is also a need to assess where Pakistan stands in global sports by keeping the facts in perspective.
Apart from cricket, no other sport in Pakistan is being supported. Since the establishment of Pakistan, the struggle and funds utilized for cricket are far greater than for any other sport.
Today, from the President and Prime Minister to the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, everyone is praising Arshad Nadeem, with discussions about rewards being public. Pakistan’s National Assembly has also unanimously passed a resolution to award Arshad Nadeem with a civil award. By achieving a golden throw of 92.97 meters, Arshad Nadeem has made history and set a new Olympic record.
This is also Pakistan’s first gold medal in track and field. Nadeem Arshad set a new Olympic record by throwing the javelin 92.97 meters in the men’s javelin throw final. Pakistan has won a medal in the Olympics after 32 years, while it has won a gold medal after 40 years. Arshad Nadeem also holds the distinction of winning Pakistan’s first gold medal in individual events.
Among the athletes sent by Pakistan to participate in the Paris Olympics, only Arshad Nadeem was considered Pakistan’s sole medal hope. Out of the seven athletes who participated in the games, six were eliminated in the qualifying stages, finishing in the last positions. This reflects the capabilities and skills of Pakistan’s athletes, as well as the standards and ability to identify talent among those responsible for selecting these athletes.
Pakistan has a federal Ministry of Sports, which undoubtedly includes officers and employees who are paid salaries from the national treasury, but what does this ministry do? What is its scope? The government should issue a white paper or some other list detailing the responsibilities of the ministry, the role of the minister, secretary, and other officials, so that taxpayers can understand whether the country even needs a Ministry of Sports. Similarly, there are also hockey, football, and kabaddi federations in Pakistan.
Money is being spent on these as well from the government treasury, but the results are far below expectations. News about the decline of hockey and the downfall of football occasionally emerges, but no concrete or positive strategy has ever been seen in this regard. The federal and provincial governments do not pay attention to kabaddi either. Bureaucracy considers this sport as a rural pastime. Since the bureaucratic elite play and watch golf, tennis, squash, chess, horse racing, or cricket, they consider all other sports to be useless and uncivilized.
This is why Pakistan has not made a big name in global sports. In terms of the number of medals in the Paris Olympics, leaving aside China and the United States, as of Friday, a war-torn country like Ukraine had won three gold medals, along with four silver and four bronze medals, bringing its total medal count to 11. Iran’s total medal count is 6, including 2 gold medals. The Philippines, also a developing country, has 4 medals, including 2 gold. Kenya, an African nation, has 5 medals, including one gold. These statistics reflect the state of Pakistan’s economy as well as the priorities of Pakistan’s governments.
In Pakistan, billions of rupees are allocated as development funds for parliamentarians, and there is also an abundance of ministers, advisers, and assistants, who are also funded by the government treasury. But the tasks that could enhance the country’s honor and dignity are not given any attention. Pakistan is not lacking in talent. If even 20% of the funds that the Cricket Board has were spent on volleyball, badminton, table tennis, and athletics, and if hardworking professionals were hired, Pakistan could achieve a global position in these sports within a few years.
Similarly, if kabaddi were commercialized and supported, Pakistan would remain number one in this sport. Despite the unfavorable conditions, Pakistan is still number one in kabaddi. As for football, the entire national team could be formed just from the Lyari area of Karachi. The youth of the Sheedi tribe in Sindh have strength, endurance, and resilience. Similarly, the people of the Makran district in Balochistan are physically strong and powerful. There are excellent football, boxing, and athletics players in these regions, but the real issue lies in priorities. It is a fact that the privileged class’s children cannot participate in boxing, football, volleyball, the 100-meter, 400-meter, or marathon races. Only the youth from poor and middle-class backgrounds can succeed in these sports because they are the ones who can play physically demanding games.
Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem also comes from a background of hard work and struggle. Sports like squash, golf, and tennis are not only individual sports but have also become a fashion trend. The elite who are fans of such sports may not be able to participate in sports like boxing and long jump. However, Pakistani cricketers have encouraged Arshad Nadeem on winning the Olympic gold medal. The Pakistan Cricket Board also released a video in which the cricket community can be seen expressing their joy after Arshad Nadeem’s record-breaking performance. Pakistani cricketers expressed their happiness and pride on social media.
Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, and Umar Gul congratulated Arshad Nadeem on this exceptional achievement. Amidst all this, the comments of Arshad Nadeem’s mother and Neeraj Chopra’s mother, who finished second, have been particularly appreciated by the people of Pakistan. In fact, the most memorable and powerful moments were when the mothers of the two athletes on either side of the controversial border warmly embraced Arshad’s historic success. Millions of people around the world regained faith in humanity when the mothers of Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra gracefully accepted the results and referred to both athletes as their “sons.” Social media users have remarked that in today’s materialistic world, such attitudes have become rare.
The way both mothers referred to Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra as their sons went viral on social media, with millions praising the heartfelt sentiments expressed by the two women. They have opened a window of peace for the governments of two neighboring countries that have fought three wars in the past 76 years. This is about feelings and emotions, which are the same everywhere. However, the federal and provincial governments and institutions in Pakistan need to pay attention to sports other than cricket as well.