Minister directs PSB to start camp for Arshad from today

KARACHI: The federal minister for IPC Dr Fehmida Mirza on Wednesday directed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to immediately manage a training camp for Arshad Nadeem, the country’s premier javelin thrower, at Lahore from Thursday (today).

The minister issued directives during a meeting with Arshad, his coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari, Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) president Maj Gen (retd) Akram Sahi and Secretary Mohammad Zafar at Islamabad.

The minister stressed that every effort would be made to ensure quality training opportunities for Arshad who will represent Pakistan in next year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Arshad is the first athlete in Pakistan’s history to have made directly to the world’s most prestigious extravaganza by recording an amazing 86.29metre throw during the 13thSouth Asian Games in Nepal last year.

The minister was briefed about Arshad’s preparations for the Olympics. A PSB source told ‘The News’ that both the minister and the IPC Secretary were very serious about managing training opportunities for Arshad, a 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist.

The minister was also told by the AFP officials that the ministry would be informed once flights to Kazakhstan would resume.

The AFP has already managed training for Arshad in Kazakhstan but due to flights issue because of COVID-19, he is yet to fly.

“Sports facilities are meant for promotion of talent and its training aimed at restoring the image of the nation in sports,” the minister said.

With Olympics just seven months away the IPC’s decision to arrange camp for Arshad at Lahore will help the athlete to start afresh for his dream debut in Olympics.

Arshad will be coached by Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari at the PSB Coaching Centre, Lahore.

After creating history in Nepal, Arshad and four other athletes were sent to China by AFP but their tour was cut short due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

Arshad was then put in a camp at Lahore but it was stopped late March due to countrywide lockdowns. After that, Arshad remained confined to his hometown in Khanewal, doing light practice just to keep his fitness level.

His coach Fayyaz Hussain Bukhari told this correspondent a few months ago that when Arshad would return to camp it would take him two months to bring him back into his best shape.

Meanwhile, the AFP in a press release thanked the IPC minister for managing a training camp for Arshad.