PCB turns down PHF’s request for World Cup loan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has turned down a request of loan from Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) to send the national hockey team in World Cup starting from 28 November in India.

PHF requested for a loan from the cricket board to clear the outstanding dues of the players and send the team to Bhubaneswar, India to participate in World Cup scheduled from November 28 to December 16.

Tauqir Dar, Pakistan’s new head coach and manager Hasan Sardar confirmed that they have requested Chairman PCB, Ehsan Mani for a loan to cover the finances of the team.

Giving the reason of rejection for the aid Dar said, “He was scheduled to meet us on Thursday but due to some urgent issues he spoke to us on phone. He made it clear that the PCB couldn’t advance any loan to the PHF since the federation had not returned a loan given to them by the board during the tenure of Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia in early 2000,”

Pakistan’s head coach added, “Mani sahib has however assured us he will speak to the government and sponsors to help us overcome our financial crunch,”

PHF Secretary, Shahbaz Ahmed also told that the government of Pakistan has not responded to the requests made to provide 8 million rupees by PHF.

Shahbaz said, “We have now written directly to the Prime Minister’s secretariat for the grant to be released within this week or else it would be very difficult for us to send the team to India,”

He continued to say, “If we are not able to send the team to India it will not only damage our image in world hockey but we will also face a hefty fine from the FIH,”

Former player Dar had told chairman PCB to discuss the matters with Prime Minister and suggested that the government could directly pay the hotel where the team would stay along with clearing players’ dues through their individual accounts instead of giving money to PHF.