AHF confirms Pakistan out of Azlan Hockey

ISLAMABAD: Two and half years after taking over Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) reign, the fear of loss continues to haunt officials as yet again they spoiled a golden opportunity of preparing the team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth (CW) Games by refusing to become part of the 2018 Azlan Shah Hockey starting from March 2-10 in Malaysia.

The PHF has officially refused to compete in the yearly event reducing it to a six-team international hockey tournament with world No 1 Australia leading the field. World No 2 Argentina, India (No 6), England (No 7), Ireland (No 10) and hosts Malaysia (world No 12) are also set to flex their muscles and to prepare for important events to come.

The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) termed the Pakistan refusal to compete in the event as a sad day for hockey, saying that long standing invitation to PHF to compete in the event has been rescinded. AHF Chief Executive Officer Tayyab Ikram confirmed Pakistan withdrawal from the event but gave no reasons for that. Pakistan were invited to play in the Sultan Shah considering country’s services for the game and hue and cry of the officials for not making greenshirts part of the event held last year.

All participating teams barring Argentina are using the Azlan Shah hockey as a platform to prepare team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games to be held from April 4-15. The PHF thus spoiled a golden opportunity to play against the best teams and remove their flaws if there are any before the all important Commonwealth Games.

The PHF did the same when two years back, the team was invited to play the penultimate Champions Trophy held in London considering former great Air Marshal Nur Khan’s services for the event. The PHF refused to compete in the Trophy and later in the Junior Asia Cup with the fear that greenshirts would go on to lose every match. That fear continues to haunt the PHF even today as yet again the federation ignored the urgency of matter by failing to make the team ready for the 27th edition of the Azlan Shah Cup. The PHF has done no good to national cause and team chances in the Commonwealth Games by refusing to play in Azlan Shah Hockey that could well have served as self assessment event for the team before the big event. Pakistan has always made it to the semis whenever they figured in the Commonwealth Games. Last time Pakistan played in Commonwealth Games in Australia was in 2006 in Melbourne when the team went on to reach the final and played a tough title decider against hosts.

“It is not a good act to avoid playing in an event as big as Azlan Shah Cup. Pakistan hockey is already struggling at international level. It was a good opportunity to prepare the team for the Commonwealth Games,” Olympian Khalid Bashir when contacted said.

He questioned that now if Pakistan fails to put up a decent show in the Commonwealth Games who would be responsible. “Clearly PHF would be responsible if the team goes to perform under par in the Gold Coast Games. The federation has done great disservice to the game of hockey by refusing to send the team to 2018 Azlan Shah Hockey,” Khalid said.