brief history of sports in Pakistan

X2 · March 4, 2009, 11:32pm

Re: I feel sick and sad

anyways going back to the point, we had a pretty active sports culture there, i saw it evaporate in subsequent visits, in mid 90s when i went the scene had changed entirely.

and its not just sports, we had a good cultural thing going to, maybe there were things ppl did not like but major bands came from that era, back in mid 80s as break dancing was popular there were groups like stringfellows, break-o-matic, and a few more..competing art arts council

TLK · March 4, 2009, 11:50pm

I knew that you are going to bring break dancing :D

but you used to use that sausagefest sharfabad club to hold your break dancing contests .. haan?

X2 · March 5, 2009, 4:41am

Re: I feel sick and sad

no i did not go towards ghettos
i left those to bus stop romeos like janaab

TLK · March 6, 2009, 6:13pm

I don’t think that wrestling should be our pride .. though it was not fake but it had nothing to do with worlds wrestling standards. It was ruled by one family and they were all riding on the fame of Gama pehlwan without any effort of there own. There pride and joy was how many raw eggs and how many cansiters of desi ghee a pehlwan can gulp down. No wonder many of them died because of heart failures.

Also, \don’t forget the famous wrestling of Antonio Anoki with Akram Pehlwan where the whole nation saw live on TV how real our wrestleres wre. I think Anoki dislocated Akram’s arm in second round.

Monk · March 6, 2009, 6:36pm

X2:

Pakistan had a thriving sports atmosphere back in 70s from what I know, even in 80’s it was pretty good, while the facilities were always in short supply and the infratsructure and organization at league level was bad, we were producing good players in different areas, tennis, boxing, table tennis, track, not world class perhaps but much better than now.

and its more than just watching major sports, participation in sports was much higher, i compare my cousins in pakistan today to the cousins before and it seems like there is no single serious athelete in the family, i mean serious even at club or college level, it just seems not to be a priority or important.

not sure what happened and when, whether it is just the same as we see with the time on internet younger gen simply not into sports as much or whether the law and order situation over the years has made it less desirable and once u are not into it, its harder to get into it as u get older

could not agree with you more.
We were gowning up there was 15mins cartoon on TV. Now the play it for whole day.
My own nephews watch tv all days, But still thank God the have passion of sports in there blood. Awesome in sports
Like chacha’s

Monk · March 6, 2009, 6:55pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

Further more pakistnis have very ideal structure for like half a miliion sports, yet we only play one sport.
Its very strange.

NeSCio · March 6, 2009, 7:35pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

one thing I've always wondered is why in Pakistan noone participates in 'low-budget' sports, not necessarily professional but at an advanced amateur level in their freetime:

e.g. running, cycling/mountainbiking, swimming, archery etc

I can imagine if someone has talent for that particular sport at a high amateur level s/he might represent Pakistan at the Olympics (after all, various Olympians are part-time sportsmen and have various jobs besides their sport)

Monk · March 6, 2009, 7:45pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

^ only in 2 cities have half decent punching bags for there boxers.
Quetta
Karachi
And I am talking about "One" place in the city having those. So once you have won district championship in quetta/karachi you will have access to those.

Even each city having about 20-30 punching bags can do miracle in pakitan. We almost have right kind of bodies. For amature boxing anyways.

Sad part is workd's best punching bad are made in pakistan.

TLK · March 6, 2009, 8:02pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

^^ PM I wanted to mention that in my highlights of pakistan sports history ..

Pakistan did win a bronze in Olympics (was it Seoul Olympics in 1988) in Boxing, I dont remember in which class (light weight maybe) but we got a bronze..

do you remember that?

Monk · March 6, 2009, 8:07pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

yes!
it was hmmm 75KG, its lower then light-heavyweight class, upper limit is 75KG.
That dude once came to a champion ship as a special guest and gave me medal.

I head there was a boxer from lahore who knoced him out twice in national camp in karachi.
This whole thing was long before or generation came into scenes.
BTW that dude from lahore moved abroad did not pursue boxing.

TLK · March 6, 2009, 8:10pm

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

^ I know that it was a technical knock out .. so its not that the person was a good boxer or anything, just that the opponent made some technical mistake so he won

Monk · March 6, 2009, 8:19pm

see i respect him as he did some thing special for pakistan. But international scene he wasnt such a talent.

I heard some tales form/about army boxers though.

This one boxer has beaten "Leon Spinks" Leon Spinks has beaten muhamad ali once(broke his jaw too).

But again we need very little money to make a huge differance.

James_Bhaand · April 25, 2009, 5:49am

Re: brief history of sports in Pakistan

internet has had a huge influence

and dont forget that in those good old days, there was no PS3 or Game boy
It was must for every launda lapaRaa in the mohalla to put up the kursi on the road, around 4:00 in the evening and then play cricket till after maghrib.

Lifestyles have gone through a dramatic change during the last 20 years or so