Govt withholds PHF grant after team’s poor show

ISLAMABAD: Following back to back poor performances and humiliated defeats, the caretaker government has decided to withhold Rs 200 million special grant to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) with immediate effect.

The News has learnt from well-placed sources in the Ministry of Finance that the grant that was due to be released this week has been withheld following series of embarrassing defeats in junior and senior international events and series.

The financial year ends tomorrow and all efforts on the part of the PHF to get the approved special grant turned futile as government has decided not to release the amount following series of poor shows by the national outfits. “The government has decided to withhold Rs 200 million grant the approval of which was made last month by the previous government headed by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The decision to withhold the grant was taken following series of poor performances including the ongoing Champions Trophy. Every effort has been made to get the amount released but to no avail. Those who matter believe that heavy amount has been granted to PHF during the last three years without any positive results,” a source within the Ministry when contacted said.

The News has learnt that a whopping amount of Rs 600 million has been given to PHF in shape of normal and special grant during the last three years. “The government cannot afford any more special grants at a time when results are not coming. The PHF has been given everything they demanded during the last three years, still no positive change has been seen in the standard. Instead the team that was ranked six four years back is now struggling to maintain their 13 ranking. Be it Asia Cup, Azlan Shah Cup, Asian Champions Trophy or Champions Trophy, Pakistan hockey has performed poorly in these three years. There is no wisdom in giving them more amount just for nothing,” the official.

The interim set-up has left it for the coming democratic government to decide on granting special grant during coming financial year. “No more special grants for the PHF, the matter has been left for the next financial year where in all probabilities the coming democratic government would decide whether to continue with the same set up.” The last three years have been disastrous for Pakistan hockey where the team not only lost the ranking, it was beaten by minnows like Japan, three times in four outings. Oman team that has ranked outside 30 also played draw in three-nation event that Japan won ultimately beating Pakistan in the final.

The worst-ever seventh position in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and poor performance in the Asian Champions Trophy and last year Azlan Cup are also goes to discredit of current PHF hierarchy.

As if that was not enough, the national team which is being trained and coached by Dutch coach Renault Oltmans has been beaten in each and every game it has played so far in the ongoing Champions Trophy under way in Breda.