KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team will definitely go to Belgium to participate in the qualifying rounds of Rio Olympics, as there is no issue of funds for this purpose, informed sources in the ministry of IPC told ‘The News’ on Tuesday.
The sources expressed surprise over reports that due to lack of funds Pakistan’s participation in the qualifying rounds in Belgium could be in jeopardy.
The qualifying rounds will start in Belgium form June 20 and Pakistan team management wants to reach there on June 15 in order to play at least two practice matches against Ireland.
PHF president Akhtar Rasool confirmed that funds would be available for the Belgium tour.
A source in the PHF also said that if funds for the Belgium tour were not available how the passports of the players and the officials, including Akhtar and secretary Rana Mujahid could have been sent to Belgium embassy for visas.
“It could be laziness of PHF that it did not start the procedure in time for the tour,” the source said. “First it made mistakes in the documents of the players and the officials and then sent a list of 22 players and six officials to which the host country objected as it was allowing 18 players and four officials to each nation,” he said.
A high official in the ministry of IPC said it was irrational to say that the government was not willing to release funds for national hockey team for participation in the Olympics qualification round.
Qamar Zia, one of the sharp critics of PHF among the former Olympians, said the PHF wanted maximum amount of funds released on this occasion so that it could once again use this money for their joy trip, as PHF president, secretary and some other officials were going on this tour. “The players have been deprived of their salaries, three coaches are not going with the team due to financial crisis in the PHF, but on the other hand all high officials of PHF will stay in Belgium for more
than two weeks,” he said.
Meanwhile, a PHF official told a TV channel that funds would be released for Olympic qualifying rounds.
Practice matches crucial:
Pakistan chief coach Shahnaz Sheikh has said that Pakistan had not played against Poland for a long time, but the Polish team was considered a balance one in Europe and was famous for its defensive game.
He told ‘The News’ that European sides had been playing according to the new rules for a long time.
“Thus they can create threat any time. So we will not take any side lightly as it is the question of Pakistan’s qualification for the Rio Olympics,” he said.
The Polish hockey team is behind Pakistan in world rankings and is not counted in the 10 best teams of the world.
Pakistan are placed at the 10th position after winning two silver medals last year, at Asian Games and Champions Trophy.
Pakistan, who are in Pool A, play their first match, against Poland, on June 20.
The chief coach wanted the Green-shirts to reach Belgium as soon as possible, so that the players of national hockey team get acclimatised to the local conditions and avoid jetlag.
Shahnaz said that he had asked PHF to send the team to Belgium by June 15, “so we can play two practice matches against Ireland. Otherwise we would be under pressure.
“We will try to take lead in the early stage against Poland who play defensively. It will be better for us to go all out on attack right from the start and take lead,” he said.
He said that Australia were the most dangerous team but the other teams in the group, India and France, were also fighting teams. He said he was hopeful the Green-shirts would not let the nation down.