Karachi on top of ‘poorly organised’ Sindh Games

Athletes complain about facilities after opening day in Mirpurkhas.

MIRPURKHAS: Karachi dominated the opening day of the 15th Sindh Games that got underway in Mirpurkhas yesterday with athletes ruing poor facitlies.

The event, where five teams including Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur besides the hosts are taking part, is featuring 2,150 participants with 34 competitions for men and 14 disciplines for women.

On the opening day, Karachi ended top of the table with four gold medals and one silver. Hyderabad finished with three gold and a silver.

Hyderabad’s Urosa Junejo won a gold medal in the women’s arm-wrestling event while teammate Saima Khan took the first position in the 60-kg category of the same event.

Sana Rabail secured gold for Hyderabad in the 70-kg competition and Karachi’s Simthia bagged gold in the 65-kg event.

Karachi dominated the hockey event as the men’s team defeated Mirpurkhas 8-2 and the women’s team beat Larkana 9-0.

Players complain about facilities

While Sindh Sports Minister Dr Mohammad Ali Shah said the Games are being held in Mirpurkhas to promote peace, there was nothing harmonious when it came to players discussing the facilities provided.

According to the athletes, they have been forced to sleep on the floor and many female athletes had spent the night in darkness as the school where they are staying has no electricity.

“How can they expect us to perform when we can’t sleep properly?” Mohammad Riaz, a kabbadi player from Sukkur, told The Express Tribune. “There’s  no adequate facility.”

Another athlete complained that organisers were discriminating between players from Karachi and other cities.

“Karachi athletes are getting better accommodation,’ said Larkana’s Uzma. “The sports facilities are also in bad condition.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2012.