Pakistan has struggled to make an impact at the Olympic Games, epecially since the downfall of the national hockey team. The recent Paris Olympics starkly illustrate this issue as the country with over 240 million people managed to send only seven athletes to compete where 329 events in 32 sports across 48 disciplines are taking place. Why does a nation with such vast potential produce so few Olympians?
Some issues need to be highlighted:
Lack of facilities and support
Pakistan has always looked at cricket as the main sport, and hockey’s downfall has just channeled further love into it. Cricket isn’t faring too well either these days, but that’s a story for another day.
The nation’s obsession with cricket and better performance than in other sports come on the back of a well-oiled system with strong infrastructure, sufficient funding, and a robust support network.
On the other hand, aspiring athletes in other fields often face a lack of training facilities, infrastructure, and funding, which eventually stifles development and hinders Pakistan’s potential to excel in other Olympic sports.
Wrongdoing and infighting
Wrongdoing and infighting within sports authorities, including the Pakistan Olympic Association and the Pakistan Sports Board, further exacerbate the problem. These organisations are often bogged down by bureaucratic struggles rather than focusing on fostering and supporting talent.
Such dysfunction hampers the development of sports in the country and undermines athletes’ chances of success on the international stage.
More officials than athletes
Pakistan’s participation at the Paris Olympics also highlighted a critical issue plaguing the nation’s sporting landscape.
Pakistan’s contingent to the Paris Olympics included 17 officials, some of them civil servants and politicians, tasked with overseeing just seven athletes. And how can we forget the 2022 Beijing Olympics— where we sent eight ministers as delegates for a single athlete? This imbalance signifies the government’s lopsided priorities, where administrative presence overshadows athletic representation.
Decline of Pakistan’s hockey legacy
Historically, Pakistan’s hockey team has been the cornerstone of its Olympic success, winning eight out of the ten Olympic medals, including three golds in 1960, 1968, and 1988. However, the former global powerhouse has even failed to qualify for the Games since the 2012 London Olympics.
Once a global powerhouse, Pakistan hockey has suffered a precipitous fall from grace, resulting in a shocking failure to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This was the third consecutive Olympic absence for the Greenshirts, highlighting the nation’s hockey infrastructure and management.
The national team touched new lows when during recent continental events, it failed to overcome traditional rivals like India, Malaysia, and South Korea. These defeats not only impacted their confidence but also hindered their progress in the qualification tournaments.
A brief Olympic medal history
Despite its potential, Pakistan’s Olympic medal count remains modest, totaling just 10, with three golds. Eight of these medals were earned by the hockey team, underscoring the sport’s historical significance to the nation. The two individual medals were won by Mohammad Bashir (bronze) in men’s 73kg wrestling event in 1960, and Hussain Shah (bronze) in men’s middleweight boxing in Seoul 1988.
Pakistan’s Olympic medal winners list
Disappointing performance in Paris
As of August 5, six of the seven Pakistani athletes representing the country at the Games had been eliminated from their events without advancing to the medal rounds. Let’s take a look at how Pakistani athletes faired at Paris Olympics:
Marksman Ghulam Mustafa Bashir: failed to qualify for the next round of the 25-meter rapid pistol event.
Shooters Bashir and Khalil Akhtar: did not progress in the 25m rapid-fire pistol event.
Shooters Gulfam Joseph and Kishmala Talat: eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the 10m and 25m air pistol events.
Athlete Faiqa Riaz: finished 24th out of 36 participants in the Women’s 100m sprint.
Swimmers Ahmed Durrani and Jehanara Nabi: both were eliminated in the men’s and women’s 200-meter freestyle heats.
With six athletes already out, all of Pakistan’s hopes for an Olympic medal now rest on javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem. A nine-time international medalist and four-time gold medalist, Nadeem finished fifth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He will now compete in the final round on August 8.
The way forward
Pakistan’s declining performance on the global sporting stage, particularly at the Olympics, is a direct consequence of systemic failures. A lack of investment in sports infrastructure outside major cities, coupled with a dearth of talent identification programs, has resulted in a limited pool of elite athletes.
The issue is further compounded by corruption, nepotism, and a lack of political will to prioritize sports development. To reverse this trend, Pakistan must commit to long-term planning, increased funding, and the creation of a transparent, merit-based sports ecosystem. Only then can the nation hope to restore its sporting glory.
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