Hockey teams’s performance criticised

LAHORE: Former Olympians Sunday demanded for a complete overhaul of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and team management after green-shirts below par performance in the Asian Games.

Pakistan team lost to India on Saturday in the third-fourth position match and former Olympians seem very disappointed on the matter.

Shahnaz Sheikh said PHF officials took hold in 2015 and since then no improvement has come to the game. “In World Hockey League Pakistan came 7th out of 10 teams, in Commonwealth Games Pakistan was 7th out of 8 teams, in Champions Trophy Pakistan was 6 out of 6 teams,” he claimed. He said the team management and PHF has no plans for improving the game, therefore I appeal the patron in chief PHF the Prime Minister of Pakistan to take notice of the fading national game.

Former Olympian Salim Nazim appealed the hockey patron in chief and Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) to hold an inquiry on the team’s disastrous performance in the Asian Games and held those responsible accountable.

“This defeat lies on the PHF president and secretary whose policies have resulted in the game’s downfall,” he said. He also appealed the Prime Minister and IPC Minister to bring in a professional sportsperson to head Pakistan Sports Board who can work on the betterment of sports in the country.