Sandhu: Corporate firms vital in sports progress

A CALL has been made for corporate firms to heavily invest in sports and support government initiatives to develop and promote the sector to advance to higher levels.

Former national hockey and cricket star based in Canada, Tarlochan Sandhu made the call in Dar es Salaam this week that corporate firms have a huge part to play if the country has any ambition to succeed in the sector.

Sandhu, 82, who led the hockey national team in the Moscow Olympics of 1980, said the government cannot do everything alone.

“I want to advise local and international corporate entities in the country to invest heavily in sports, I know they put some effort, but more is needed to help the government,” he said.

“Corporates must start to invest in sports from the grass-roots as physical education is very important.

Health well-being is very key for any success and sports have a good platform to play, the country has many talents that need a little push to make Tanzania into the spotlight,” he added.

Recalling his past career, he said they had success just because of the willingness and very good support from the companies.

“I appeal for them to start reviewing their plans and increase sports and education budgets, and give out scholarships to individual talents,” he said.

The former national team member, Sandhu added corporates have to revisit a pre-independent time when Tanzania was doing well in sports and introduce different sports disciplines teams in their place.

“Sports development is corporate work, they have all it takes to help, this country has talented players, the government can only put in place a good environment for them,” he insisted.

Sandhu, who also played football, tennis, volleyball and table tennis during his  youth, got a job through sports.

“I remember it was in 1957 when I was playing for the Khalsa hockey team, we had a match with Barclays Bank, and I scored a hat-trick that helped a team to win, soon after the game, the bank officials came to my father with a job offer and asked for permission.

“I was just 17 years old and got that job, the bank went on the support my further studies and sports career too, many corporate firms at that time had to do very well in supporting players to pursue both education and sports careers,” he said.

Sandhu and other veteran Kanu Rathod said they were also ready to give back by supporting the new generation.