The PTI government aims to bring about sports reforms and a task force has been formed for the purpose. Sources say the task force will start working within a month.

Sources say major changes in the system are expected to be made which would pave way for the development of sports. Let’s see what steps are taken. What is of immense importance at this stage is to prepare those athletes who are capable of qualifying for the 2020 Olympics.

Calls from top athletes of the country have convinced me to write this article. The athletes fear that in the name of bringing reforms the government might ignore this vital subject, the Olympics 2020, and that it could deprive them of an opportunity to qualify for the Tokyo Games.

Besides hockey, in which the nation will flex its muscles for an Olympic return, wrestling, judo, karate, boxing and athletics are the disciplines in which Pakistan can qualify for the world’s most prestigious competitions.

The government should immediately start working on it as a short-term plan as Olympics are not far away. The year 2019 and five months of the 2020 are of immense importance.

We have some highly talented people in wrestling. The country’s premier wrestler Mohammad Inam recently defended his Beach World Wrestling Championships title in Turkey and is one of the major prospects for Olympics if prepared and fielded in Olympic qualifiers with generosity. Inayatullah, who a few days ago annexed bronze medal in the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, and highly talented grappler Mohammad Bilal are the others who could be tried for Olympic berths.

Japan-based Olympian Shah Hussain, Qaiser Afridi and Japan-based Amina Toyoda are the top judokas who have the ability to make a cut for Tokyo 2020. We are wasting these athletes by not working with them properly. Shah and Amina have got a very good judo environment in Japan and can do a lot for Pakistan.

The country’s premier javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem, who won bronze medal in the Asian Games in Indonesia this summer, is also a gutsy athlete, who can qualify for Tokyo 2020. The athlete has the will to do so, but he is not happy with the current situation. Since he won the medal in the Asiad, he has been staying idle at home.

Lack of a proper grooming system for the potential athletes is one of the biggest drawbacks of Pakistan’s sports.

Karateka Saadi Abbas, who has had a golden career so far, should be given an opportunity to try for an Olympic seat. The Dubai-groomed fighter has been seen extra busy over the last few years, featuring in various major events around the globe.

In boxing, Pakistan last featured in 2004 Athens Games. The country still has some gutsy boys who may fight for the Olympic seats if they are provided with quality training. The world boxing governing body (AIBA) is going to hold its elections in Russia early next month. People fear boxing will be excluded from the 2020 Olympics. If boxing stays in the Olympics Pakistan will need tough preparation for the qualifiers to be held next year. Pakistan Boxing Federation’s (PBF) President Khalid Mehmood intends to send his squad abroad for training to prepare for the qualifiers.

The ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) should immediately convene a meeting of those federations whose athletes have the chance to qualify for the Olympics and devise a plan accordingly.

The government should not let Pakistan’s most talented players suffer in the name of reforms. The task force should hold seminars and open debates with the stakeholders before devising a strategy.

Besides preparations for Olympics, the camps for the South Asian Games should be started in the first week of November. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have already begun their preparations.

If Pakistan did not prepare properly, it could face a miserable fate as it did in the last event in India where Pakistan finished third following India and Sri Lanka.