Pakistan Cricket Team and Babar Azam named the biggest threat for Arshad Nadeem from within Pakistan

Arshad Nadeem’s historic gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics 2024 has sparked more than just national pride.

The javelin thrower’s extraordinary achievement has not only earned him overnight fame but also made him a millionaire with a staggering reward of 250 million rupees.

Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic gold medal win has injected a fresh wave of hope into Pakistan’s athletics, marking a new chapter in the country's sports history. However, this elation is marred by a brewing controversy that highlights the tense intersection between cricket and athletics in Pakistan.

Arshad Nadeem’s Olympic gold medal triumph clouded by Cricket's dominance in Pakistan

Well, the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) Chairman, Muhammad Akram Sahi, has voiced concerns about the negative impact of cricket’s dominance on the development of other sports in Pakistan. According to Sahi, the arrival of the Bangladesh cricket team for the Test series poses a significant threat to Arshad Nadeem’s training schedule.

The Bangladesh cricket team’s exclusive access to training facilities in Lahore means that Nadeem, despite his recent success and the growing interest in athletics, is left struggling for appropriate venues to train. Sahi said that the lack of proper training facilities has been a recurring issue for Nadeem, who is now facing challenges for practice ground as well.

Bangladesh team is currently in Pakistan for a two-match Test series, starting on August 21 in Rawalpindi. The second and final Test will be played in Karachi from August 30. But the Tigers are currently training in Lahore and Sahi lamented the restriction on Nadeem's ability to practice there.

The arrival of Bangladesh is not good news for Arshad Nadeem: Muhammad Akram Sahi

Muhammad Akram Sahi said on Samaa TV: “The arrival of the Bangladesh cricket team is not good news for me and Arshad Nadeem. Bangladesh will train in Lahore, and Arshad won’t be allowed to practice. The biggest problem for him is a lack of ground where he can train whenever he wants.”

As Pakistan cricket monopolizes the spotlight and resources, athletes like Nadeem find themselves sidelined, struggling to even get a place to train. The need for track and field highlights a pressing issue within Pakistan’s sports infrastructure.

Nadeem’s story is a testament to his resilience and talent, but it also highlighted a broader challenge facing Pakistan’s athletic community. Earlier, former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali said that the PCB could lose the hosting rights of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 if any small incident happens in the country.

Any mishap will result in Pakistan losing hosting rights for Champions Trophy 2025: Basit Ali

Basit said on his YouTube channel: “Champions Trophy is in Pakistan. After Bangladesh, England and West Indies are also scheduled to tour Pakistan and we must tighten our security. God forbid any mishap (during these tours) will result in Pakistan losing hosting rights for the Champions Trophy.

Our soldiers are being martyred in Balochistan and Peshawar. Our government can explain better the reasons why but (what’s happening) it’s wrong. We can't afford even a minor slip-up. We should offer the same level of security to the visiting teams as for the Prime Minister. There can't be a minor incident. PCB chairman Mohsin will be aware of this.”