Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Olympians: Promises, Awards, and Ignorance

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Musarrat Ullah Jan – kixkNow digital creator

In Pakistan, Olympians are only given the limelight when they bring back medals or paint the country proud on the global scene. For the remaining time, they live in ceremonial functions and official declarations. Across the globe, nations reward their Olympians by naming streets, academies, stadiums, and training camps in their honor. These are testimonies to the fact that subsequent generations get to witness the exploits of their idols. In Pakistan, this kind of recognition is only partial, and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the situation is less than inspiring.

There have been some athletes from the province who have represented Pakistan abroad, but many of them are hardly recognized in their lifetimes. Recognition usually comes after they pass away, while living athletes have to battle poor facilities and resources.

KP Olympians and Limited Recognition

Some of KP's prominent Olympians are:

Qazi Muhib (Bannu) – Field hockey, with Bannu's central hockey stadium being named after him.

Lala Ayub (Peshawar) – Father of former Sports Minister; Peshawar city has a hockey stadium and arena in his honor.

Qazi Salahuddin (Peshawar) – 1968 Mexico Olympics gold medalist of hockey and Pakistan women's hockey team coach later.

Masud Hussain (Peshawar) – Played for Pakistan in 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

Anwar Baig (Peshawar) – Played in the 1948 London Olympics.

Other KP sportsmen with restricted or no infrastructure in their names are Brigadier Hamidi (Bannu), his brother Rashid Junior, Farhat Khan (Bannu), Lala Fazal Rahman (Gold Medalist), Naeem Akhtar (Abbottabad), and Rahim Khan (Swat).

Aside from this, eminent footballers such as Aslam Khan, and volleyball players such as Fareedullah, Shahid, Tufail, Abdul Rahim Khan, and Shahid Sahab, are not far behind in terms of recognition concerning facilities or awards.

Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium: Hype vs. Reality

The Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium in Peshawar begs the questions of how meaningfully athletes can be recognized. Named after a renowned hockey player and a former coach for Spain's national team, the stadium has faced numerous inadequacies:

Delayed completion beyond the intended three months.

Substandard goalposts, backboards, and ground conditions.

Accelerating non-standard synthetic turf.

Faulty sprinkler system, further compromising the field.

While youth tournaments, including Under-16 championships, are occasionally held, the stadium’s quality is insufficient for professional play. The honor is symbolic, but athletes do not receive the practical support required to train and compete effectively.

 

KP's provincial policy of using Olympians' names for stadiums appears to be more symbolic than a meaningful attempt to promote sports. The athletes give away their best years for Pakistan's honor, but get mentioned only after their demise or anniversary events.

Even in areas where infrastructures are present, these are often underfunded, poorly maintained, or technically substandard. Young sportspeople are forced either to train in unsatisfactory conditions or to leave their home towns to seek greater opportunities.

KP sports persons have gained national and international fame for Pakistan, but the province has not done much to support them meaningfully. Few like Qazi Muhib and Lala Ayub have stadiums or arenas named after them. Others go unrecognized.

If Pakistan really wants to encourage sports, then it is not enough to name stadiums. Players require facilities, equipment, and acknowledgment in their lifetimes so that future generations get trained and motivated by living legends instead of reading awards on papers.

This tale spotlights an essential truth: official openings and media spectacles do not replace actual investment in sports facilities and athlete growth. Without it, KP's Olympians are only celebrated by name, with their legacies failing to become lastingly known among generations.

#KPChampions #LalaAyubHockeyStadium #PakOlympians #SportsNeglect #CriticalSportsJournalism #KPKAthletes #ForgottenHeroes #HockeyInKP #OlympicLegends #SportsInfrastructure

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