ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has approved financial support for just 93 of the 246-member contingent for the 20th Asian Games, officially scheduled to begin on September 20 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, exposing a widening gap between the government’s claims of promoting sports and the support actually reaching athletes.
For the first time in the history of the Asian Games, government financial backing for the Pakistan contingent has fallen below the 40 per cent mark, raising serious questions over the priority being accorded to sports and the country’s emerging athletes.
With the 14th South Asian Games also fast approaching, sports circles believe comprehensive government support for the Asian Games contingent could have provided invaluable international exposure and experience to a new generation of Pakistani athletes.
Instead, the limited financial assistance has left a substantial portion of the contingent without government backing, putting an additional burden on sports federations, athletes and their families to arrange resources for participation in one of Asia’s biggest multi-sport events. The situation has once again highlighted concerns over the utilization of the PSB budget, with a significant portion of available funds being consumed by non-developmental and administrative expenditures, leaving comparatively limited resources for athlete development, training, international exposure and the promotion of sports at the grassroots level.
Sports stakeholders fear that unless the government changes its priorities and substantially increases investment in athletes and sporting infrastructure, Pakistan’s prospects of producing a stronger and more competitive contingent for future international events will continue to suffer.
The Asian Games are not merely a medal-winning exercise but also a crucial platform for young athletes to gain international exposure, compete against the continent’s best and prepare themselves for bigger challenges, including the SA Games.
The latest decision, however, appears to have sent a disappointing message to Pakistan’s sporting community at a time when greater state patronage is needed to nurture and retain the country’s emerging talent.
Full Pakistan contingent for the 20th Asian Games:
ATHLETICS: Ansar Abbas, Arshad Nadeem, Khoula Omer Khan, Muhammad Yasir, Shajar Abbas, Noreen Hussain and Faiqa Riaz are athletes, while Sajjad Ahmad Khan, Salman Iqbal Butt and Seemi Rizvi are coaches.
BADMINTON: Mahoor Shahzad and Muhmmad Ali Larosh are athletes, while Raja Azhar Mahmood is team leader.
BOXING: Fatima Zahra, Irfan Khan, Maria, Sumama Rehman are athletes, while Muhammad Tariq and Muhammad Liaquat are coaches and Muhammad Nasir Ijaz Tung is team leader.
CRICKET (MEN): Abrar Ahmed, Ahmad Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Chaudhry Saad Masood, Maaz Ahmad Sadaqat, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim, Syed Muhammad Abdul Samad, Usman Khan, Sahibzada Farhan Ullah, Muhammad Hassan Nawaz, Arafat Ahmed Minhas and Haider Ali, Imran Ullah.
Officials Ashley Allan Noffke, Mansoor Amjad and Michael James Hesson are coaches, Usman Hashmi is technical personnel and Muhammad Tahir is medical personnel.
CRICKET (WOMEN): Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Humna Bilal, Momina Riasat, Nashra Sundhu, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Eman Naseer, Umme Hani, Saira Jabeen, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui and Fatima Sana Khan.
Officials: Abdul Majeed, Abdul Rehman Aslam, Imran Farhat and Umaid Asif are coaches. Ayesha Ashhar and Wahab Riaz are team leaders, Tehreem Sumbal is medical personnel and Waleed Ahmad is technical personnel.
EQUESTRIAN: Usman Khan is an athlete, while Haseeb Minhas is veterinarian and Romain Michel Armel Guegan..
ESPORTS: Falak Sher Memon, Hasnain Rahman, Muhammad Huzaifa, Shayan Asad, Syed Sameer, Adeel Ahmad, Ahmed Shahid and Atif Ijaz are athletes, while Usman Tariq is coach.
FENCING: Abdul Musawir, Baryal Khan, Muhammad Nauman Ejaz, Muhammad Waqas and Muhammad Yaseen Khan.
Officials: Muhammad Irfan Sheeraz is team leader and Nazar Abbas Bhatti is coach.
HOCKEY: Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Adeel Latif, Afraz, Ahmad Nadeem, Ali Raza, Ammad Shakeel Butt, Ghazanfar Ali, Moin Shakeel, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Hammad Udin Anjum, Waqar, Muhammad Sufyan Khan, Muhammad Ammad, Umar Mustafa, Abdul Manan, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Abdul Hannan Shahid, Abdul Rehman and Zikriya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat.
Officials: Fahad Javaid is medical personnel, Sultan Ashraf is technical personnel, Muhammad Adnan Zakir, Herman Kruis, Bob Johan Veldhof and Christopher John Bowen are coaches, while Sohail Gill is team leader.
KABADDI: Afaq Khan, Bilal Khan, Faizan Ali, Farhan Ali, Mudassar Ali, Muhammad Qasim, Muhammad Umair Naseem, Muhammad Usman Arshad, Muhammad Zohaib Niaz, Shoaib Mumtaz Ali, Akhlaq Ahmed and Usman Ahmad.
Officials: Rahat Maqsood Ali is coach and Muhammad Asghar is team leader.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS: Asim Khan is athlete and Dilawar Khan Sannan is coach.
ROWING: Asad Iqbal is athlete and Abdul Rehman is coach.
SAILING: Mehboob, Muzammil Hassan and Nadine Xerxes Avari are athletes. Rashid Nazir is team leader, while Xerxes Byram Avari and Ilias Mylonas are coaches.
SHOOTING: Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Imam Haroon, Kishmala Talat, Muhammad Farrukh Nadeem, Muhammad Shabbir, Muhammad Umer Farooq, Muhammad Uzman, Usman Chand and Rabia Kabir are athletes. Fazal Ul Bari is team leader and Sadiq Umar is coach.
SOFT TENNIS: Fizza Ali, Hamza Ahmed Saeed Arain, Hussain Ahmed Saeed Arain, Kainaat Zulfiqar Shallwani, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Rayyan Khan, Rafae Bashir, Sabrina Khan, Syeda Eraj Batool Zaidi and Syeda Tahreem Naushad are athletes.
Elia Nousheen Malik and Saeed Ahmed Arain are team leaders, while Jamsheed Issa and Muhammad Khalid are coaches.
SQUASH: Mohammad Hamza Khan, Muhammad Ashab Irfan, Nasir Iqbal, Noor Zaman, Mahnoor Ali, Mehwish Ali, Sehrish Ali and Sana Bahadar are athletes.
Amir Nawaz and Sher Bahadar are team leaders, while Fahim Gul Khan is coach.
SWIMMING: Hamza Asif, Hareem Malik and Mishael Aisha Hyat Ayub are athletes, while Saeed Ahmed Khan is team leader.
TABLE TENNIS: Abbas Amjad Khan, Abdal Muhammad Khan, Aleena Khan, Kalsoom Khan, Muhammad Shah Khan, Muhammad Taimur Khan, Nosheen Aslam, Fatima Khan and Taha Bilal are athletes. Ejaz Ali is team leader.
