Impressive performance in the Olympics: Where does the sports budget in Pakistan go and on whom is it spent?

Instead of being overwhelmed by the brilliance and number of medals won by the United States, China, and Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, look at the full medal table and see what impresses everyone. Number one is the Middle Eastern country of Syria.

Although seven countries other than Syria have won just one bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the situation in Syria is different because it has been plagued by civil war for the past ten years and millions have been displaced. ۔ Under these circumstances, it is not uncommon for Syrian athletes to compete in the Tokyo Olympics and win the weightlifter Mann Assad's medal.

Speaking to jaanisports from Damascus, Safwan Al-Hindi, the media director of the Syrian Olympic Committee, says in a very emotional way, "This bronze medal is a lot for us." The world knows what a painful situation our country is in. In these difficult times, the hard work of Man Asad, who first won a bronze medal at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan and now a bronze medal at the Olympics, has given the whole nation a great opportunity to rejoice, because last time in the evening Won an Olympic medal 17 years ago

He said that Man Asad did most of his training in Damascus under the supervision of his elder brother. Assad's father has been a bodybuilder, while a brother has been killed in the Syrian civil war.

Syria's weightlifter winning an Olympic medal in these difficult times raises the important question of whether the war-torn country can win a medal in the world's biggest competition, then Pakistan, where sports facilities are at war. Countries are much better than Syria, what does it mean for Pakistan to be free from these competitions?

Why compare with India?

It is now common practice to compare Pakistan's performance with neighboring India as soon as the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, or the Olympics are over and try to find out what the best facilities are for the athletes there. Are available and how much money is spent on sports.

A similar debate has started at the end of the Tokyo Olympics, but realistically this comparison is by no means correct as there is a stark difference in the priorities of sports in Pakistan and India. Similarly, the size of the sports budget is showing a clear difference between the two countries.

However, it is right to ask why Pakistani athletes did not win medals at the Tokyo Olympics and who is responsible.

Sports budget in Pakistan

After the 18th amendment to the constitution of Pakistan, the Ministry of Sports was abolished in the federation and this ministry was shifted to each province, after which the Ministry of National Sports and Inter-Provincial Liaison is in charge of national affairs in the country.

Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Liaison Dr. Fehmida Mirza is also the President of the Pakistan Sports Board.

"The non-development budget is one billion rupees for the whole year, which is very little," she says. This budget of Pakistan is nothing compared to the way in which funding is being provided for the promotion of sports and training of athletes all over the world. Even in this one billion rupees, 40% goes on utility bills and staff salaries, after which what is left is spent on training camps and players are sent out.

Dr. Fehmida Mirza says that if Pakistan is to go ahead in sports, the federal government will have to increase its funds and the provincial governments will also have to take this issue seriously. Sadly, there is no regular sports minister in three of the four provinces

Rs 44 crore was not really spent?

On the eve of the Tokyo Olympics, there was a heated debate in the media that the Pakistan Sports Board had returned Rs 44 crore to the government instead of spending it on athletes and athletes before the Olympics.

Dr. Fehmida Mirza responds by saying, "We get all the money on a quarterly basis, but due to the code, the players' campuses could not be set up and they could not go out. That is why The fish money was not released to us. It is not at all that this money has come to us and we have returned it

Arshad Nadeem's training

The Federal Minister said that we had assured full cooperation to the Pakistan Athletics Federation on the training program given to us by Arshad Nadeem. Unfortunately, Arshad Nadeem's training abroad was affected due to the code. He went to Turkey but was coded and had to return. Those who say that Arshad Nadeem was not trained by a foreign coach should not forget that the same Pakistani coach trained Arshad Nadeem and took him to the Olympics.

President of Pakistan Athletics Federation Manager General (Retd) Muhammad Akram Sahi says that a total of Rs 20 million was spent on the training of Arshad Nadeem. The Pakistan Athletics Federation did not have the money but they took personal interest in ensuring Arshad Nadeem's participation in the Olympics and made his training possible with the help of sponsors etc.

Have sports facilities been destroyed?

Dr. Fehmida Mirza says that the three main bodies or structures for running sports affairs in Pakistan are Pakistan Sports Board, Pakistan Olympic Association and National Sports Federations. In my three years, I have witnessed the destruction of these three institutions. There is no system that we focus on our athletes. There were only personal interests and there were internal wars due to which these institutions have been destroyed

Fehmida Mirza says that the national sports policy in Pakistan was last formulated in 2005 but now a new national sports policy is ready on which she will also talk to Prime Minister Imran Khan and all stakeholders. I am sorry to say that the biggest obstacle in the way of sports policy is the personalities who do not want to be held accountable. Whether it is Pakistan Olympic Association or Federations, they have harmed the talented children of this country in the name of sovereignty and by blackmailing the country for Olympic membership but now the government will not tolerate any obstacle in this regard. Because no one is above the law of the land

According to Dr. Fehmida Mirza, the biggest responsibility of training lies with the federation as they bring the player up through the talent hunt.

"The government also helps them in this, but we have also seen here that four people come together and form a federation under the Society Act and then ask the government to keep giving us money. The federation also has a responsibility to have its own funding. Since the Ministry of Sports is now in the provinces, each province should take this responsibility at its own level and when it comes time to form a national team, the federal government should definitely help them.

Parallel federations and favorite officials

The official website of the Pakistan Olympic Association currently shows the names of the 33 sports federations affiliated to it, but there are still a few sports whose federations are either in court or suspended by the Pakistan Olympic Association. Athletics is notable. Cycling and judo federations are also suspended.

The Pakistan Olympic Association has also been accused of forming parallel federations of like-minded individuals for its vote bank and imposing restrictions on what were real federations. There is also a general perception that federations that do not follow the Pakistan Olympic Association are excluded from the national sports mainstream.

Pakistan Olympic Association President Lt. Gen. (retd) Syed Arif Hassan, speaking to jaanisports, vehemently denies this.

He says the world knows who formed a Pakistan Olympic Association headed by Major General (retd) Akram Sahi at the behest of the then government, which was not only not recognized by the International Olympic Committee but also suspended from Pakistan. And then a representative of the government of Pakistan recognized the legitimacy of our association before the International Olympic Committee.

Arif Hassan says the Pakistan Olympic Association cannot decide on its own which federation can join or not. This requires the approval of the International Olympic Committee. As far as the Athletics Federation is concerned, three of its athletes were banned for doping at the South Asian Games two years ago. The Pakistan Olympic Association had made an inquiry under the WADA rules but the Pakistan Athletics Federation had refused to appear in the inquiry despite repeated reminders and had stated in writing that it was not affiliated with the Pakistan Olympic Association. Wants The Athletics Federation could have approached the International Olympic Court of Sports against the Olympic Association if it had wanted to, but it did not do so because it knew its decision to suspend was correct.

Lieutenant General (retd) Arif Hassan says that every step taken by the Pakistan Olympic Association is in line with the charter of the International Olympic Committee and it is not correct to say that the POA is accountable to anyone. no. The Pakistan Olympic Association is subject to the Olympic Charter but as it is not funded by the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistan Olympic Association is not accountable to the Government of Pakistan for compliance with the Olympic Charter and for the internal affairs of the Association.

Who is responsible if the medal is not won?

Very few people in Pakistan are fully aware of the procedures and responsibilities of the Pakistan Sports Board and the Pakistan Olympic Association. That is why whenever the players perform well, everyone tries to take credit for it and when the performance is poor, it is common to blame each other.

The situation is similar at the end of the Tokyo Olympics, and in many comments and analyzes, the country's National Olympic Committee, the Pakistan Olympic Association, and especially its president, Lieutenant General (retd) Arif Hassan, is being held accountable for 17 years. Has been president for years and Pakistan has not won an Olympic medal.

Lieutenant General (retd) Arif Hassan says this on jaanisports question. It is clearly stated on the Pakistan Sports Board's own website that the country has infrastructure, training, coaching and international standard fitness of the players. It is the responsibility of the Pakistan Sports Board to ensure that the Pakistan Olympic Association could not win medals for the athletes, is absolutely wrong.

Arif Hassan says that as far as the Pakistan Olympic Association is concerned, like any other country's National Olympic Committee, it is responsible for securing the Olympic Charter in its own country. The Pakistan Olympic Association has nothing to do with sports development because the Pakistan Olympic Association does not receive any funding from the government for this purpose.

Arif Hassan says, "When the performance of Pakistani athletes is compared with other countries, we should not forget how much the governments of these countries have spent on sports and how much is being spent in our country."

Arif Hassan says it is just propaganda that we do not cooperate with the government. If there is such a thing, then we should also give an example of when we have made some kind of threat. If we are asked to violate our constitution, it is not possible under any circumstances. We cannot be told that we are violating the charter of the International Olympic Committee. We can definitely talk to them but we can't definitely violate the constitution

Lieutenant General (retd) Arif Hassan, who has been the President of the Pakistan Olympic Association for 17 years, described the move as a democratic process, which is why he has been elected to the post since 2004.

"Everyone is allowed to contest elections and this is everyone's right," he said. Major General (retd) Akram Sahi twice contested the presidential election against me but lost. Elections of the Pakistan Olympic Association are held in accordance with the constitution of the International Olympic Committee

He says that according to the constitution of the International Olympic Committee, its president is elected to his office for the first eight consecutive years, after which he is given another four years. He can be president for 12 consecutive years, but he can still hold the post if he wants to. The constitution of the Pakistan Olympic Association is also in line with this and whoever wants to win the election and become president has no time limit.

General Arif Hassan says that the constitution of the Pakistan Olympic Association sets the age limit for the president at 75 years and this is also in line with the constitution of the International Olympic Committee.