LAHORE: In a letter written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH), four former Pakistan hockey players have accused the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) officeholders of financial embezzlement and continuing to stay in power despite being ‘defunct.’ National team’s former coach Khawaja Muhammad Junaid, Olympians Saleem Nazim and Khalid Bashir and former player Syed Ali Abbas, have written to the two global bodies, pointing out how the current PHF regime has exceeded it’s constitutional limit of four years. The quartet claims that the incumbent PHF regime came into power in November 2013 but continue to occupy the office despite their four-year mandated tenure having expired in November 2017. “Thus, as per constitution there exists no legal body and the present body has become defunct,” an excerpt from their letter reads. They alleged “there is absolutely no check and balance on the finances of the PHF” and that “a number of cash withdrawals have been made by the PHF from the banks without observing formalities.” They also accused PHF President Khalid S Khokhar of forbidding the Congress members from talking about a congress meeting held in January this year, allegedly threatening them with legal action if they failed to oblige. Junaid and co said that the current regime cannot be trusted to hold free and fair elections, urging the authorities that the new polls be “held under an independent election commission for the sake of fairness and transparency and to avoid favouritism and nepotism.” Sardar slams quartet, tells them to present proof: Meanwhile, former hockey Olympian Hassan Sardar, who is currently the national team’s manager, slammed Junaid and co for penning the letter, calling it “an effort to malign Pakistan and the national game”. “The Prime Minister and the President should take notice of this,” he urged, while advising the quartet to “present proof or else avoid leveling allegations.” Sardar felt that the letter was a manifestation of disputes with the PHF, although he did agree that “asking for an audit report is everyone’s right.” He also claimed that airing of grievances in such a manner was a futile exercise as “the FIH does not have any jurisdiction over Pakistani matters.” Published in Daily Times, April 24th 2018.