❝Everyone's a National Player? The Truth Is Different!❞

 

A silent storm is brewing in Pakistan's sporting industry—one that's shrouding genuine talent in pretence and self-aggrandisement. Today, almost every sportsperson presents himself/herself proudly as a "National" or even "International" player. But the question remains: Are they actually worthy of such designations? Or is it merely a title accompanied by a photograph, a jersey, and a booming assertion?

A National Player is a person who officially represents his/her province, department, or force at state-sponsored national-level events, like the National Games, which are played every four years in Pakistan. It's only after these Games that players formally attain the right to don the Pakistan colours — the symbolically revered green kit.

But today, each sport hosts its own country-level tournaments — usually privately organized with minimal participation. Players of such tournaments start to address themselves as "National Players" or "National Champions," even when the event did not have a suitable competitive level. It's only playing with words, because in fact, many of them do not even hold impressive local records.

In the social media age, a number of amateur international players have cropped up. The trend is alarming: the players sponsor their own travels to private competitions in nations such as Thailand, Nepal, and Malaysia, and, having taken a photo with the Pakistani flag, they get back home as would-be "International Athletes."

These folks are not formally chosen by any federation, there is no process, no merit, and no recognition. And yet they claim to be international representatives of Pakistan — and all too many people accept them.

To add insult to injury, some of these persons later go to the provincial sporting directorates or the government to ask for money and scholarships, citing their performance abroad as their reason — when, in reality, they weren't even formally participating nor was their participation officially recognized. This is not just cheating against the system, but also a betrayal to true athletes who've invested years moving up the merit-based ranks.

Previously, the Green Kit had represented national pride — something reserved only for people who had actually deserved it. Yet today, these kits are freely available in markets. Some groups have commercialized them, selling them to whoever will pay.

At a squash tournament in Peshawar, the sponsored kits in green colors of Pakistan were on sale to the general public. When this was reported to the Director General of Sports, action was taken, and a ban was issued. But today, the green kits are still on sale freely in local markets.

A senior athlete who has played for Pakistan overseas expressed,

Back in our days, not every one of us could wear the Green Kit. It was a matter of pride. But today it feels like everybody and his uncle are an 'international player'. Even some sport journalists don the green kit simply to appear the part."

He also showed serious concern that journalists, instead of reporting, try to project themselves as sportsmen.

 

"Journalists are supposed to report on sports — not use the identity of athletes," he said.

"Of course, not all journalists do this. But lots are now using the image of athletes and their equipment for bravado."

This false recognition has hurt the self-belief of actual players to the point that many authentic international players now shun playing in the Pakistan colors altogether. They believe merit is extinct, and even they are being tarred with the same brush as the increasing number of phonies.

Where fraud is commonplace, truth starts to conceal itself.

It's time that sports officials, federations, and media create a strong and verifiable system where only those players who have established participation, selection, and documentation can be regarded as national or international players.

If not worked upon, it will empty the very fabric of our sports culture, and entomb genuine talent under pretentious claims.

#FakeAthletes #SportsFraud #MeritMatters #RealChampions #StopMisuseOfNationalColors

#ProtectTrueTalent #PakistanSports #GreenKitNotForSale #AthleteIntegrity

#NationalGamesOnly #NoMoreSelfProclaimedChampions