Pakistan's Basketball Community's Outrage Over Alleged Favouritism Showcases Administrative Failure: Report

FISU World University Games: Pakistan’s basketball community’s outrage over the alleged favouritism and lack of transparency in the team selection for the Singapore tournament marks yet another case of the country’s administrative failure in sports. Reports of deserving players being sidelined have sparked uproar, a report has stated.

Sports in Pakistan suffers the most as internal politics, ego and personal connections take precedence over merit. Basketball is not the only case, as similar reports have emerged about cricket boards, hockey federations and athletic councils, Pakistan-based The Nation reported.

Mismanagement, petty turf wars and the arrogance of officials have become structural features of the sports sector in Pakistan. Many of the sporting bodies in the country, instead of nurturing athletes, appear more focused on maintaining fiefdoms, which results in talent being demoralised or lost to neglect.

Pakistan’s sports landscape continues to stumble due to the incompetence of those tasked with promoting it — and not because of a lack of talent. The country’s administrative failure not only shatters the dreams of athletes but also affects national performance in international competitions, as per a report in The Nation.

A report in The Nation said, “When selection rooms become arenas of personal vendetta rather than professional judgement, Pakistan loses more than matches; it loses credibility. The basketball controversy, like so many before it, underlines a simple truth: until sporting bodies are run with integrity, accountability, and professionalism, Pakistan’s athletes will remain trapped on the sidelines while others play on the world stage.”

Earlier in July, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) announced that it had set up an inquiry committee to investigate “serious irregularities” during the FISU World University Games 2025 in Germany, including the reported disappearance of two athletes, local media reported.

A report in The Nation said, “When selection rooms become arenas of personal vendetta rather than professional judgement, Pakistan loses more than matches; it loses credibility. The basketball controversy, like so many before it, underlines a simple truth: until sporting bodies are run with integrity, accountability, and professionalism, Pakistan’s athletes will remain trapped on the sidelines while others play on the world stage.”

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Citing the Higher Education Commission (HEC), the PSB said that the many “failures” included the fact that “two student-athletes were reported missing or suspected of fleeing during the event”, as per the Dawn report. It added that the selection of team officials — all of whom but one coach were from the HEC or its affiliated universities — sparked “concerns regarding the transparency and merit of their selection.”

Article Source: IANS