Football and politics

Pakistan needs to reinstate itself among FIFA countries,as they were removed on the basis of ‘political interference’

In 2017, Ronaldinho and friends came to Pakistan and now the FIFA World Cup Trophy will be touring the country for the first time in the game’s history — in an attempt to promote football. There are however bigger issues that need to be settled.

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), unlike many other sports federations of the country, is not ruing the lack of funds or the dearth of infrastructure, instead, it is enmeshed its own problem. It all started in 2015 with one faction accusing the other of rigging the federation’s elections and since then the national men’s and women’s teams have been at a standstill with no international fixtures on offer. And if that was not enough, the premier domestic tournament was discontinued after the 2015-2016 season.

While all footballers have been, time and again, pleading for an end to PFF’s infighting so that the ‘beautiful game’ can flourish in the country, national women team’s captain, Hajra Khan, took things to the next level and tweeted out a message to her followers in an individual capacity to ‘invite’ Pakistan women’s team to play matches.

Since 2013 India, the host of the U17 World Cup, have been convening the Indian Super League, so if there is any lesson to be learned on how to develop interest and build infrastructure for the game, the neighbouring country is an example. However, before any of that can be done here, Pakistan needs to reinstate itself among FIFA countries, since they were kicked out on the basis of ‘political interference’ in the federation. This is the lowest of the low for everyone associated with the game in the country. It is clear something needs to be done about football in Pakistan soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2018.

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