PHF has become a victim of political cronyism and has been reduced to serve members of the ruling political parties, who had once played the game. Now they are involved in businesses or other ventures and don’t have time or devotion that heading such organizations demands of them. The net result is that today we have not qualified for the next world cup! The fate of PCB is similar and now Pakistan Olympic Committee has also become a victim of this turf war, where fringe benefits, involved in holding such posts, attracts retired bureaucrats, generals and even politicians to grab these assignments. As a consequence sports in Pakistan has declined.
Our domestic cricket organizations and clubs are dominated by corruption, instead of serving the game and selecting the best talent available, of which there is no dearth in this country, they pander to their own kith and kin. Sometimes a fast bowler makes his debut when he is 30 years old, an age where they are on the way out in other countries. Look at the people who compose PCB, they are a group of men who in spite of controversies, continue to dominate the board. If young players are involved in match or spot fixing, the problem lies with lack of integrity, ethics and discipline that dominates individuals selected to serve as manager, coaches and head of selection committee, members of disciplinary committee and the legal team on the payroll of PCB.
Either we learn and select talent purely on merit, or are prepared to see more decline of sports, like the deterioration we have seen in other fields.
ALI MALIK TARIQ,
Lahore, September 14.