Paucity of trainings, inactive role of relevant sports bodies among main reasons for unpopularity of Sepaktakraw: Asrar Abidi

Subject: Paucity of trainings, inactive role of relevant sports bodies among main reasons for unpopularity of Sepaktakraw: Asrar Abidi

Karachi: Lack of trainings, support from government, private institutions, inactive role of relevant bodies were the main reasons for the unpopularity of the Sepaktakraw.

These views were expressed by President Pakistan Sepak Takraw Federation Syed Asrar ul Hassan Abidi while talking to media.

Besides, non-availability of Sepaktakraw ball in the country, which produced world’s best sports products, was also one of the reason for game being unpopular here, he noted.

Asrar ul Hassan, also the Secretary of Sindh Sepaktakraw Association said that Sepak Takraw, the game being played in over forty countries of the world, was unfortunately unknown to majority of the youth of Pakistan, who had great passion towards sports. 

He observed that not only Sepaktakraw but many other games were being played on limited level in the country. 

Asrar ul Hassan demanded from the national level sports bodies and government sports boards to support this amazing game. 

He asserted that the Sepaktakraw needed to be introduced at the educational institutions and street levels in the country.

Asrar Abidi highlighted that the players don’t get proper sponsorship for their tours abroad related to this game and when they can’t find employment etc. they quit the sports. In other countries, the players of Sepak Takraw were provided employments by their governments. 

He said that there were two Sepaktakraw federations in the country, which he said needed to play an active role for the promotion of the game. He urged upon federations and associations to create bodies in each province for the development and promotion of Sepaktakraw game in the country.

President Pakistan Sepaktakraw Federation said that till now in Pakistan the Sepaktakraw had no players from grass root levels, as the players from other sports joined the game and left following number of reasons. 

“Our federation is making all out efforts for promotion of game. We are working to bring players from grass root level for Sepaktakraw. We have been organizing sepak takraw championships annually since 8 years”, professed the President Pakistan Sepaktakraw Federation. 

He said that his federation was arranging training camps in Sindh, which would be completed in January. The training camps aim at to provide opportunity to youth to come forward and express their talents so that they could represent the country in future. 

Abidi informed that Sindh Sepaktakraw Championship will be held in Larkana in February. Besides, coaching course will also be organized in March for which over 30 male and female intending athletes have registered themselves so far.

He said that the “Sepak Takraw” was basically a combination of words i.e. Sepak and Takraw. Sepak was a Malay word which meant “Smash” and Takraw was from Thailand used for a rattan ball. The game belonged to Southeast Asia. 

Explaining the rules of the game he said it differed from volleyball where players used feet in place of hands. It was also different in some technical rules from volleyball like use of rattan ball in place of leather ball etc. In Sepak Takraw game, each team consisted of 3 players. Positions were classified as Feeder, a Striker and a server called Tekong. In traditional 

Sepak Takraw game called “Regue” a team serve 3 times and had only 1 attempt. Afterwards, following 

rally of each team had 3 attempts. Each team had to save ball from deck and try cross the net within three 

touches to designated area.