Sports

United we stand: Footballers mull over forming players’ association

Feel something needs to be done in order to save sport in country

Natasha Raheel May 17, 2016

Kaleemullah is one of the finest strikers the country has seen. PHOTO: AFP

KARACHI: Pakistan internationals Kaleemullah and Saddam Hussain believe footballers need to come together on one platform to safeguard their rights in Pakistan and speak out against the stalemate at the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) offices.

Kaleemullah took to social media to highlight the PFF power struggle that has seen two opposing factions fighting against each other for over a year, and asked the government to hear the footballers’ plea.

The 23-year-old striker said neither of the two factions have any footballing background or interest, with the sport coming to a grinding halt across the country.

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“The two factions are working for their own interests; they don’t care about the players,” wrote Kaleemullah, who is willing to up the ante in order to make someone take notice. “We need to campaign for our rights; we can stage a sit-in in front of the Parliament House or the Supreme Court to highlight the problem. We’ll do it within the limits.”

Kaleemullah later added that the players need an association that can work for their betterment as the PFF has been unable to sort out the matter.

“We need to stick together and establish a platform, because so far the players have suffered the most,” Kaleemullah told The Express Tribune. “It would be better for departments and clubs to also speak up against the stalemate and inactivity in the PFF.”

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Pakistan played their last international match last year against Yemen in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Meanwhile, former FC Dordoi midfilder Saddam Hussain also feels a player’s association is required. “We need an association such as FIFPro in Pakistan because the players remain silent due to fear of backlash.”

However, he believes something needs to be done. “We need to come together and work through this,” he said. “Our former players should’ve been braver. We want to speak up now because we don’t want future generations to suffer like we have.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2016.

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