National game hit new low
After change at the helm of the PHF affairs it was expected that a positive change would come in the dwindling fortunes of the national game with the aid of the government’s generosity. Unfortunately, the current management also lacks direction and has failed to wrest the game’s unabated decline. Pakistan team started the year on a bright note as it defeated arch-rivals India to claim South Asian gold. In March, Pakistan got an opportunity to play a mega event Champion Trophy after getting a special invite from the IHF. But ridiculously, the PHF top brass refused the invite fearing an ‘ominous defeat.’ This approach surely played with the minds of the players and their performances in the remaining year showed the fact. Pakistan finished fifth among seven teams in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia and also lost Asian Champions Trophy title to arch-rivals India in October. Another blow to Pakistan hockey came when its junior team barred from playing in World Cup by host India.
World Squash Champions again
The year 2016 is ending on a happy note for Squash, as Pakistan yet again tasted the victory of being the world champions in the game though at the junior level. In the WSF Men's World Junior Championship, held in Poland in August, country's junior players won the coveted gold medal by beating Egypt in the final after a gap of eight years. Israr Ahmed claimed bronze medal in the Individual event. In the South Asian Games, held in India in February, Nasir Iqbal won gold medal, whereas Farhan Zaman won silver. Maria Toor won silver medal and Sadia Gul earned bronze medal in women event. Both Pakistan men and women team grabbed silver medals in the team event. Pakistan team also claimed gold medal in the 18th Asian Squash Team Championship by beating Hong Kong in the final. Top international players also featured in three US $25,000 prize money events hosted by the PSF. Farhan Mehboob carried the Pakistani flag high by winning one of the three titles and finishing runner up in another.
Pugilist brought delight
A shiny spot for Pakistan was the success of pugilist Muhammad Waseem at the international professional boxing circuit. The Quetta-born boxer joined Professional Boxing in June 2015 and signed the contract with Korean Promoter Mr. Andy Kim at AK Promotion. So far he has five professional fights and has won all of them including three knock outs. Waseem made history while claiming WBC Silver Flyweight Championship in his just fourth Professional fight against Jether Oliva of the Philippines. Waseem recently also defeated Philippines’ Giemel Magramo in Seoul, South Korea to successfully defend his title. The Quetta-born boxer outplayed Magreamo in a tough 12-round fight and won by a 3-0 unanimous decision. Magreamo was undefeated in his previous 17 bouts and previously held the WBC International flyweight belt. There are doubts whether Waseem could continue his professional career or financial restraints would end his dream pre-maturely.
Another dismal Olympics show
Pakistan Olympic Association sent the nation's smallest ever delegation to the Olympics Games held in Brazil as the hockey team failed to qualify for the mega event. A total of seven athletes, four men and three women, were selected across four different sports. All of them had gained their entries, either through Tripartite Commission invitations or quota spots, with swimmers Lianna Swan and Haris Bandey, as well as judoka Shah Hussain Shah, being based abroad. The controversy also erupted when first it was announced that Shah Hussain would be the flag-bearer for Pakistan but later the PSB nominated rapid fire pistol shooter Ghulam Mustafa Bashir for the honour. Despite the tall claims made by the PSB officials and the POA, the sixth most populous country of the world has failed to produce a single athlete to compete individually at the highest level. The same faces with vested interests are sticking to their positions in the sports federations for decades at the cost of the natural abundant sporting talent.
