Daily Times

LAHORE: In a cunning move to gain sympathies of all and sundry including that of the patron, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has “graciously declined” the invitation of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to watch the Rio Olympics hockey event next month. “The FIH sent an official invitation to PHF president Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and myself to watch the hockey competition of the Rio Olympics as their guests,” controversial PHF secretary general Shahbaz Ahmad Senior said on Tuesday. He added the reason behind refusing the invitation was the non-participation of the Pakistan team who failed to qualify for the Olympics. He said that there was no ‘valid justification’ for them to fly to Rio and watch the Olympics hockey competition. “It is quite unfortunate that our team could not qualify for the Olympics for the first time in our hockey history and without our team’s participation it is not appropriate to attend such a grand event”, said the former Pakistan hockey captain. The PHF secretary, however, praised the kind gesture. The former Olympian said it was a painful moment for Pakistan hockey that the national team was not among the teams featuring in the Olympics and described it a worst hockey scenario.

“Keeping in view our current low world ranking and failure to qualify for the Olympus we have re-launched sincere efforts to lift the game out of its present gloom. By taking drastic measures we will ensure that our team put up a dazzling show in the next Asian Games to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.” Shahbaz further added that the PHF was laying special emphasis on the grooming of the national junior team to strengthen the base of the game and to prepare a side which was capable of qualifying for the Junior Hockey World Cup. It is interesting to note that the present management of the PHF came through backdoors after Akhtar Rasool and Rana Mujahid Ali, the former Olympians, were shown the door after the national team’s failure in the Olympic Qualifiers. Then the present president and secretary ‘played their cards’ well and used their ‘connections’ to take ‘control’ of the PHF. Their appointments were not on merit. Many former Olympians are not happy with their appointments in the PHF.