Muhammad Ashiq who has been a National champion in cycling for 14 years now drives a rickshaw for living. He started his career as a boxer and he switched to cycling in 1950s.
In 1960 and 1964 he competed with Rome and Tokyo respectively, but he did not won any medal. Anyway he was greeted as a national hero in Pakistan.
“I was so happy... I considered myself lucky to represent Pakistan in the Olympics,” he says. When his career ended, so did his luck.
Unfortunately he started driving rickshaw in the roads of Lahore. He hanged a banner about his whole career in his rickshaw door. Someone asked about that message, he said that it is a cautionary tale especially for poor people who wanna take parts in sports.
“I was so happy... I considered myself lucky to represent Pakistan in the Olympics,” he says. When his career ended, so did his luck.
Unfortunately he started driving rickshaw in the roads of Lahore. He hanged a banner about his whole career in his rickshaw door. Someone asked about that message, he said that it is a cautionary tale especially for poor people who wanna take parts in sports.
Sadly, this is how our national champions are recognized in this country.
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