Senators concerned over growing politics in sports

ISLAMABAD: Senators expressed their displeasure over growing politics in sports, saying that football has become victim to infighting which is bringing bad name to the country.
Special Senate Committee that has been formed recently to look into federation performance observed that politics and inefficiency has ruled federations’ working in recent times. “Look at the game of hockey. We were the Olympic and world champions and now we are fast becoming minnows of the game.
Pakistan has now started losing even against the weakest of teams,” Senator Shibli Faraz observed. Senators observed that no efforts had been made to introduce sports culture in the country and that turned out to be the reason of Pakistan downfall in recent times.
Special concerns were shown on the pathetic plight of football. Football Administrator Justice (rtd) Asad Munir who has recently been appointed by the court to look after the country till the viable solution, expressed his dismay over the politics in the game. “Faisal Saleh Hayat and Zahir Shah are two factions which currently are fighting to wrest powers. This sort of approach has ruined the game at national and international level,” Justice (rtd) Munir said.
He briefed senators on Pakistan’s recent suspension. “FIFA was concerned on the growing political involvement in football in Pakistan. FIFA does not believe in government or political involvement in sports.”
Justice (rtd) Munir said that when two Pakistan teams turned up for international event in Kuwait recently, the matter become worse. “That turned out to be decisive blow to Pakistan football.” IPC Minister Riaz Hussain Pirzada said government never interfered in football matters.
“There is a mafia working within FIFA which always try to run the affairs according to their wishes.”The Minister said there were numerous problems in sports development in the country. “We even were not allowed to hold Quaid-i-Azam Games last year. Without our consent a sports advisor was appointed last year who hardly comes to Pakistan. When we complain and speak against these measures, they blame us for working against the government. I am fed up of this whole interference.”
Earlier, Director Operation Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Haroon Rashid briefed the committee on cricket development saying that international cricket would fully return to Pakistan in three to four years time.
“It is the PCB that caters the need of players from grassroots to top level. It is not association but the PCB that organizes even Club cricket.” Haroon Rashid said that PCB annually deposit Rs 250 million taxes in the government and has never taken a single penny from the government.” He said that the PCB was making all efforts to discourage spot fixing. “Those players who come from humble back ground usually get involved in this menace.”