LAHORE: Financial woes continued to trouble Pakistan hockey with the sport’s national body, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) now mulling to not send a team for the FIH Pro Hockey League, a qualifying event for the 2020 Olympics, Press Trust of India reports.
If the move is approved, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will have to ban Pakistan for two years from all international competitions. The Pakistan team nearly missed the 2018 Hockey World Cup in India last December but was ultimately saved by a Pakistan Super League franchise owner, who signed a sponsorship deal at the last minute.
The country is scheduled to play its first phase matches of the Pro Hockey League next month, starting with the game against Argentina in Buenos Aires on 2 February. The team will have to travel to Australia and New Zealand to play the matches there in the later part of next month. For the second leg matches, the Pakistan team will have to travel to Europe.
However, an official PHF sources claims that the federation will have to be prepared in spending 95 million Pakistani rupees ($680,000) in total, 25 million ($179,000) for Argentina and 70 million ($501,000) for the rest of the matches. The prospects look bleak by the day.
“The PHF has set up a training camp in Lahore for the matches against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. 45 players have been invited but until now no arrangements have been made to cover the expenses of the tours,” the source told PTI.
“The government is not responding to the PHF pleas for funds as was the case when the squad was going to the World Cup in India which was managed through sponsors and some private donations.”
A camp attendee in Lahore told PTI that the facilities there were in shambles. He said to cut down costs in the extremely cold weather, the PHF had converted changing halls into rooms and around 12 to 14 players were staying in one hall.
“It is a sorry situation for hockey and most of the players are now considering just returning to their homes as there appears little chances of them getting any daily allowances as well,” he said.
PHF President Brigadier (retd.) Khalid Khokar’s days at the helm are numbered despite his staunch refusal to resign as he has appointed more assistant personnel off late. Due to this, the government might have to step in.
The PHF had sacked secretary Shahbaz Ahmed, the team’s manager and chief coach after the World Cup debacle.
