Despite not being on the list of 93 nations eligible for universality places at the Paris Olympics 2024, a senior official from the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) remains hopeful about securing such opportunities.
“Sometimes it happens that those nations whose names are there in the NOCs which are eligible to avail universality places qualify directly and their universality status is cancelled. Keeping in view such possibilities chances of availing universality places are always there, although a bit remote,” the official said.
“Sometimes at the last moment opportunity comes and we are vigilant for that so that we could avail any such chance if emerges,” the POA official told The News on Wednesday.
Current Pakistani Qualifiers for Paris Olympics 2024
The official also highlighted the performance of Pakistani athletes who have already qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024.
“But what I see is that our four players have already qualified for the Paris Olympics and if one more ensures his qualification then it will be fine. We will definitely get wild card entries in swimming; let’s see whether we will get a female wild card entry in athletics or not,” he said.
Three shooters—Ghulam Mustafa Bashir, Gulfam Joseph, and Kishmala Talat—along with javelin thrower and world silver medallist Arshad Nadeem and France-based eventer Usman Khan have already qualified for the Paris Olympics. However, Usman needs to maintain his position until the qualification timeline ends.
Challenges in Boxing and Taekwondo
Unfortunately, the national boxers failed to qualify through last year’s Asian Games and the recently held World Qualification Tournament in Milan, which was marred by Zohaib Rasheed fleeing the country with his passport before the competition began. Although boxers still have a chance in the World Qualification Tournament 2 in Bangkok in May-June, the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) is unlikely to send participants due to the lack of promising candidates following Zohaib’s incident.
Two taekwondo athletes, Haroon Khan and Hamza Saeed, also failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024 after underperforming in the Asian Qualification tournament in China. Hamza was eliminated in the quarter-finals, and Haroon was technically knocked out in his first -58 kg fight.
Wrestling Preparations
National wrestlers have been training at the PSB Coaching Centre for the past two weeks in preparation for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers to be held from April 19-21 in Kyrgyzstan.
Potential in Javelin Throw
Mohammad Yasir Sultan, the country’s No. 2 javelin thrower and an Asian bronze medallist, has a significant opportunity to qualify for the Olympics. However, it is concerning that the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has not provided him with specific targets or event timelines. The authorities need to inform the athlete so he can train according to the timeline of particular events. The resignation of former AFP chairman Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi has added to the challenges in managing athletics affairs.
Systemic Issues in Pakistan’s Sports Infrastructure
Despite these individual successes, the systemic issues within Pakistan’s sports infrastructure hinder further achievements. Athletes often lack access to essential resources, proper training facilities, and financial support. The system’s flaws include inadequate planning, insufficient encouragement, and a lack of strategic vision for sports development. This discourages many talented individuals from pursuing their athletic careers.
There is an urgent need for the Pakistani government and sports authorities to provide more support and encouragement to athletes. Investing in better training facilities, offering financial incentives, and creating a structured development program can significantly improve the country’s performance in international competitions. Encouraging and nurturing talent from a young age will not only boost morale but also help in producing world-class athletes who can compete at the highest levels.
Previous Olympic Participation
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, besides other athletes who had either directly qualified or had featured through wild cards, female shuttler Mahoor Shehzad and weightlifter Talha Talib represented Pakistan through universality places. While Mahoor struggled in the competitive environment, Talha impressed by finishing fifth in the 67 kg weight category with an aggregate lift of 320 kg.
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