Marash Lulaj, the former athletics champion of the 70s, is aging in an asylum...

2024-12-18 21:15:00, Sport CNA

Among the 65 elderly people in the Shkodra asylum, Marash Lulaj stands out, the former athletics champion of the 70s, who has made a great contribution to sports, but is now facing a difficult life.

Marashi says that he is the youngest resident in the Shkodër nursing home.

"I am the youngest resident, I have been here for 2-3 months. Those were the conditions and I came here. But here I have found a good environment, the people who lead us are very human", he said.

If you ask him about his life, Marashi immediately focuses on sports.

"I'm from the village and I always wanted to play ball, but of all the games I liked speed, athletics. One day the spartakiade of Shkodra district takes place and they participated. They called me there too. There the stadium was full, it was the first time I participated in a national event and I took first place. After I got the first place, the Vllaznia team took me and federated me. At this time I got my driver's license and I was in a dilemma whether to become a sportsman or a driver...

Marash Lulaj, the former athletics champion of the 70s, is aging in an asylum...

Because I lived in the village, I didn't even have the conditions for training. I used to go from Malësia e Madhe to Shkodër on foot, I did it as round trip training... They started me in action. There, the federation came to me and told me that a letter has arrived from the Party Committee that you should go with Vllaznina to gather in the race. I asked for proof of control and it came out ok. There I went to several cities and took first place in Albania at the 800 meter level in 1970-1992. As a reward I only had a written diploma that I took first place. After my release from the army, I was called to work at the 'Republika' cinema, where I started and continued for 5 years", said the former champion.

When asked if he ever thought that he would spend his old age in an asylum, Marashi answered: "No, I didn't think so, but you should never say no to anything. I received the greatest appreciation from the people, as my name was a runner.

He confesses that he follows the sport even today from the premises of the old people's home, while several times he has followed the team of his heart from the steps of the stadium.

Marash Lulaj, the former athletics champion of the 70s, is aging in an asylum...

"I follow him, even if stones fall I will follow him. The directorate also took me to the stadium. I don't ask, even though I'm sick I go because when I watch sports I forget everything. If I had continued the sport, I would have become an even greater athlete. My license prevented me, I wanted to be a driver and I pursued this profession. You should not punish yourself for these choices, even though today I regret not continuing the path of sports. I have traveled 4 hours several times from Malësia e Madhe to Shkodër. We had 1 bike and we were 4 brothers, who would get that bike first. That's why we used to go on foot and when Vllaznia won, we used to walk and dance", emphasizes Lulaj.

Marashi also gives a message to young athletes.

"Only to have spirit, the spirit of sport. Any victory is possible if they have it with heart and soul. I may have been undernourished, but I had the will to either come out first or die on the field. I did a race in Koplik, I got sick there, my appendix burst, and I didn't leave the race until I came in first place. From the field I went to the operating room... but I never left the race...", he declared.

Marashi is one of the many sportsmen who, despite the sacrifices he made to write his name in the history of sports, today grows old unappreciated, unsupported, alone./ CNA