Every News: Former DG PSB Arif slams proposed PSEDIB model

Former DG PSB Arif slams proposed PSEDIB model
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KARACHI: Former Director General of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Brigadier (retd) Arif Siddiqui on Saturday rejected the proposed model of the Pakistan Sports Education Development and Infrastructure Board (PSEDIB) and said it could not yield any result.“I don’t see any major change in the structure of the proposed model of PSEDIB which the government is going to establish. Already the same things are present in the existing board structure. It’s just a piece of paper. A law itself is nothing unless it is implemented,” Arif told 'The News' in an interview.He said unless the Board was properly restructured nothing big could be achieved.“There is a need to correct the basics. The Board needs complete overhauling. The PSB must be placed under Ministry of Education immediately. A competent, qualified DG PSB from the very outset or a competent bureaucrat with necessary sports knowledge be temporarily appointed for the transition period,” Arif suggested.He said to carry out immediate restructuring of the Board rules of business needed to be modified to accommodate sports persons and fresh university graduates in the PSB.“Directors in all coaching centres must be replaced by sportspersons with administrative skills. Five years audit of development and non-development budget and corruption cases forwarded to NAB should be pursued vigorously. The PSB must be cleared of internal and external politics and unions of all kinds should be abolished. There should be scrutiny and evaluation of all games carried out by the PSB and few games need to be prioritised for financial support,” he suggested. “Other games should be developed under respective federations till they attain respectability in their international rankings. Evaluation must become a regular annual feature. A model constitution for all games be issued by PSB and across the board implementation ensured. PSB should issue blueprint for creation of sports infrastructure over the next ten years,” Arif elaborated.He also rejected the clause of the draft of the task force on sports headed by Ehsan Mani that the proposed PSEDIB would also run educational programmes in sports sciences and physical education up to doctoral level.“The Board cannot do any such thing,” he said.“China has emerged as a leading sports nation in Asia. We were benefited by their coaches during 1980s. We need to enlarge the scope of CPEC and must benefit from China. HEC in consultation with Chinese universities should initially evaluate critically the curriculum of the existing sports subjects being taught in our universities. Sports departments in various universities of Pakistan should be developed,” he said.“The subjects of sports management, sports psychology, sports sociology, philosophy, history, sports medicines to include injuries, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, acupuncture, performance enhancement with drugs and doping, the art of modern coaching and talent hunt and construction of sports infrastructure with full-range certificate up to masters and PhD be undertaken in universities,” Arif said. He reiterated that the new model would flop, adding, no sound mind was behind this.“The biggest mistake of Imran Khan is that he has tasked Ehsan Mani to overhaul sports. Mani does not know anything about sports. He even does not know about Pakistan cricket,” Arif said. He said that sports was a serious subject.“Sports development is a serious subject and unless it is taken accordingly we cannot improve it. Professional sports is more demanding and needs great focus,” Arif added.He said the state will have to keep giving their input for sports development.“You cannot promote amateur sports disciplines without state input unless they become purely professional. The state does not need to back cricket and football but it needs to support the rest of the sports disciplines which require proper patronage,” Arif said.Reacting to Imran’s stance of abolishing departments in first-class cricket, Arif said the day departments get abolished, cricket will die.Arif also strongly criticised the Balochistan’s Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan’s initiative to spend a huge amount on extending reception and giving cash prizes to the winners of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Quetta Gladiators.“If he really wants to contribute for sports then why is he not holding the National Games which Quetta is supposed to host since long?” Arif questioned.