The last decade has been devastating for Pakistan sports. Already not in great shape, the refusal of various countries for bilateral series and events virtually sounded the death knell, bringing the sporting activity in the country to a screeching halt. The impact was particularly severe in the aftermath of the brazen attack on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009.
But Pakistan was now coming out of this isolation, slowly and gradually. Various international teams and players have started visiting the country. Only the other day, the Asian Snooker Championship was held in Karachi where a Thai player beat an Iranian in the final to walk away with the continental honours.
The Pakistan Football Federation has already successfully held home matches against Malaysia and Palestine. The Chinese hockey team visited us in December 2011 for a four match rubber. Judokas from many nations took part in the Asian event and foreign boxers took part in the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Boxing Tournament. This is a lot of events, and all have remained incident-free. In this backdrop, the ITF denying Pakistan to play its home tie at the rival’s – in this particular case the Philippines – is rather strange. That when the country refusing to come over itself has known internal strife and violence of vicious variety.
This definitely is no service to Pakistan tennis, which is badly in need of succour instead of a setback at a point when the interest in the game is at its highest due to Aisam-ul-Haq’s exploits in the international arena.
This Davis Cup fixture – the Asia Oceania Group II second round tie (the semifinal) against the Philippines – is a particularly important one in the context of Pakistan’s progress. Playing it at home would have been great help, but that opportunity has been denied by the ITF, shifting it to Manila, where it would be played from April 6-8. The ITF’s stubbornness to listen to Pakistan’s case in the circumstances is actually is a stab in the back of Pakistan tennis. It particularly hurts because unlike the past, this time round the PTF had reportedly done a pretty competent job of giving detailed security plans and the fixture had to take place in a high-security zone of DHA, in the Defence Club. The security plans prepared by the PTF president, who happens to be an inspector general of police level officer and has previously headed the prime minister’s security detail, were said to be pretty exhaustive, with a lot of focus on the forensic detail.
In the Pakistan camp there was hope, as it was expected that with the rapid change for the better in conditions here shall prompt the ITF to reconsider its previous stance. What Pakistan got instead was little or no consideration before its proposal was summarily disposed. Boycotting the Cup in a fit of pique is no riposte. And participation means that Pakistan is likely to be routed in the overly humid conditions. We have for the moment grin and bear it, for the PTF’s options are limited. But whatever can be done must be done, especially on the diplomatic front. Here involving the continent body, and making it stand up to the ITF as well as enlisting help from member nations that have a greater voice might force a change of heart at the ITF.
