Desi ghee, prayers, and Olympic glory

Arshad Nadeem’s historic Javelin throw stayed in the air for a few seconds, but it carried the hopes and aspirations of 240 million people. He has given Pakistan a victory of the century by winning the country’s first-ever individual Olympic Gold Medal. But most importantly, he has given us a legendary Olympic story to tell the next generation of Pakistani children.

“There was once a boy from a small village in Punjab, who decided to pursue his love for the game…never realizing that he would change the course of history along the way. For the first time in a long time, a nation crippled by despair was daring to dream…”

This is the story that millions will grow up hearing. A story of resilience. A story celebrating hard work. A story of competition and friendship. Of brothers across borders. Of beating the odds. A story that makes people proud to be Pakistani.

While awe-inspired by the tale of this young man, the children will interrupt the storytelling to ask why a nation of millions of people had to wait 40 years to win an Olympic medal.

As we acknowledge and celebrate Arshad Nadeem’s commitment, consistency and excellence in his sport, let’s be careful narrating the story of a man who proved that desi ghee and a mother’s prayers were greater than access to world-class training and equipment. Because while Nadeem did exactly that, this version of his story absolves the state and the sports governing bodies of their basic responsibilities towards athletes and the development of the game.

As we let the simple, humble and likable Nadeem into our hearts, grateful for being a beacon of hope in dark times, let’s not forget to ask the officials responsible why there aren’t more Arshad Nadeems in the making. Because, as Nadeem and other Pakistani athletes have proven, it is their work ethic, courage, and passion to play, despite poor conditions and inconsequential financial incentives, that has led to their success.

The country has been gifted with child prodigies and athletes who built themselves. Female athletes like squash champions Maria Toorpakai Wazir and Noorena Shams, or Karatekas Kulsoom and Nargis Hazara, paved their own paths where access to safe sports spaces and quality training for women was negligible. When Kiran Khan, the Olympian swimmer failed to qualify during the heats at the London Olympics, we criticized her abilities, while never taking a moment to look around and ask, ‘Where can Pakistani women swim?’

The Pakistan Olympic Association’s social media boasts that the swimmers in this year’s Olympic contingent “have been training abroad, managing their training voluntarily, without public funding”. Instead of asking why these athletes would feel the need to support their own training, we are glorifying their out-of-pocket expense, yet again absolving the state of its duties to develop talent.

So, as we celebrate Arshad Nadeem’s story, let’s not forget about the many others who have been inspired to follow suit – the motivated Pakistani boys and girls asking: ‘How can I become the next Arshad Nadeem?’

And this is a critical moment in history to raise all these important questions. Owing to Arshad’s miracle moment in Paris, there is a momentum where sport seems to be the priority of the state and policymakers. According to various news sources, the prime minister has announced a sports endowment fund of Rs1 billion. The Sindh and Punjab Governments have announced the establishment of athletics academies.

While these are all welcome announcements, it is important not to become distracted by short-term pledges that may or may not be actualized and focus on how to purposefully guide this national frenzy into meaningful policymaking to transform the culture around sports in the country. This is critical so that we don’t have to wait another 40 years for our next Olympic gold medal.

To start with, equitable and inclusive access to sports facilities for all children must be ensured at all levels. A chronic lack of public-sector spending on developing sports infrastructure at the school level has resulted in millions of children and young people growing up without playing any sports and developing the essential motor skills that are needed for athletic excellence at later stages.

And if we look deeper, the problem is not the mere absence of sporting facilities but improper and inefficient management. The existing infrastructure, in most cases, becomes unplayable due to encroachments or poor maintenance and upkeep. Community ownership and participation are essential, a simpler and more practical way forward is to encourage public-private partnership to manage sports facilities.

A fundamental change needed is to establish a progressive and broad-spectrum sports policy. Since sports is a devolved subject, sports and education ministries at the provincial level, must either be merged or work in close coordination, increasing their annual allocation of funds for grassroots-level sports, backed up by structured and robust coaching and physical education programs at all public schools.

It is high time that the several sports federations and associations in the country are reformed and regulated. These federations, most of which have turned into fiefdoms of retired bureaucrats, are in dire need of reforms and restructuring.

Coaching, nutrition, the emotional wellbeing of athletes – all these important subjects have become science and are to be taken accordingly. The right government investment would be to develop high-impact coaching programmes, engaging young people and creating a pool of highly trained and professional sports coaches.

And lastly, and most importantly, no country can achieve excellence in sports without giving equal access and opportunities to women and girls. We must ensure inclusive and culturally appropriate sports facilities for all women and girls in this country. Women's sports should be seen and treated at par with men’s sports which is not possible without intentional efforts and investment into the development of female sports.

Arshad Nadeem has done his part. He deserves to be celebrated and should revel in the glory that he has brought to this whole country. It’s time for the state to do its part.

Sana Mahmud is the former captain of Pakistan’s national football and basketball teams. She currently works as the Global Program Manager at the international non-profit ‘Free to Run’. She can be reached at: sanamahmud113@gmail.comAli Khayam is a Sport for Development practitioner and works as the Pakistan country director of the Right To Play International. He can be reached at: akhayam@righttoplay.com