PHF yet to get funds for foreign assignments

KARACHI: PHF may not be able to send the Green-shirts for foreign tours for the preparation of qualifying rounds for Rio Olympics 2016 due to lack of funds, sources told ‘The News’.
It will also not be able to send the national junior string for the preparation of Junior Hockey World Cup.
The preparation programme of the national senior and junior outfits would be affected severely if the financial crunch persisted, sources in the PHF said. Even the training camps which have been scheduled would be affected, they said.
Chief coach Shahnaz Sheikh termed the situation “very bad” for the national hockey and said that it was disappointing for the entire team and the management.
He said that he had informed the PHF that the Green-shirts required at least 30 international matches before the qualifying rounds of Rio Olympics 2016.
The qualifying rounds are to be held in Belgium in June and July this year.
“The Olympics are one of the biggest event of world hockey and all the best teams would be there.
How can our team play against the world’s strongest teams without playing international matches,” asked the chief coach.
Shahnaz’s coaching helped Pakistan clinch two silver medals during the last seven months, first at the Asian Games, and then at the Champions Trophy.
“The players lack international matches’ experience. We played only eight big matches in the Asian Games and the Champions Trophy. Apart from these, we did not play any international match,” he said.
He said it would be regrettable if the Green-shirts did not have tours to China, South Korea, Malaysia and Europe before the qualifying rounds.
Shahnaz further said that the players and the management staff were also waiting for the renewal of their contracts. “They have not been given any salary package and it is difficult to continue without any salary and contract,” he said.
PHF would have to do something for the team and the management, he stressed.
PHF has to finalise the preparation for the qualifying rounds of Rio Olympics 2016 in February.
There is no sign that the federal government will release the demanded amount although all paper work was done and a summary was submitted to the higher authorities more than three months back. Pakistan reached the finals of two major events, but that did not impress the government, sources said.