PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Swimming Association on Monday urged the provincial government to facilitate swimmers by allocating suitable and convenient training timings.
In a press statement, the association recalled that a formal request was submitted to the Director General of Sports, KP, on April 20, seeking dedicated and convenient swimming hours at the swimming pool in the Peshawar Sports Complex.
The aim was to enable players to benefit fully without scheduling constraints, particularly during school days and summer vacations.
It was pointed out that appropriate timings would ensure maximum participation and better utilization of the facility.
However, the association said the office of the DG Sports informed them that only two out of eight lanes of the swimming pool would be available for training purposes.
Earlier, the Directorate General of Sports had allocated two hours of dedicated time for swimmers to train without interruption.
The association stated that athletics and swimming win the majority of medals in the National Games, but both sports, especially swimming, are being neglected in the province. Due to this, the province has failed to achieve top positions in national competitions.
“More importantly, there are five operational public swimming pools in the province, but only two qualified coaches are available to train swimmers. This reflects the commitment and priorities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in the province,” the statement added.
The association said it had decided not to avail the two allocated lanes, as effective training could not be conducted in the presence of the general public.
Representatives of the association said the decision was also taken in the larger interest of swimmers to avoid injuries, mishaps, and exposure to unhygienic water conditions caused by public use.
They maintained that the swimming pool was constructed to promote the sport rather than to facilitate general public use.
“The swimming pool generated significant revenue, but nothing was spent on the players or the improvement of facilities. The use of the swimming pool for commercial purposes must be stopped, and priority should be given to the players,” said the association office-bearers in a statement.
Representatives of the association and players asked the chief minister to intervene in the matter and ensure justice for the players.
