We’ll qualify for Olympics: Imran

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey captain Muhammad Imran said on Sunday that he was confident the team would qualify for the Rio Olympics 2016.
“We have worked hard on our weak areas and focused on maintaining a high level of fitness,” he said while addressing a press conference in Lahore.
Pakistan are to participate in Hockey World League Semi-finals which serve as qualifying round for the Rio Olympics from June 20 at Antwerp, Belgium.
“I am optimistic that we shall give happy news to the nation from Belgium,” Imran said.
He claimed that the players had no worries about their daily allowances as they knew the financial position of the PHF. “We are sure that once the PHF gets funds we will be paid our dues,” he said.
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Rana Mujahid said Imran and Shafqat had been retained as captain and vice-captain, respectively, after consultation with the PHF president Akhtar Rasool.
He said that despite shortage of funds the team was participating in the Hockey World League Semifinals.
Rana thanked the ministry for inter-provincial coordination and Pakistan Sports Board for taking interest in sending the team for the qualifiers. “I personally thank the IPC Minister Riaz Pirzada and Secretary Ijaz Chaudhary for quickly responding to our appeal and facilitating the PHF to undertake the tour,” he said.
Rana appealed to the corporate sector to invest a portion of its income in sports. “Unlike India and European countries, the corporate sector’s sponsorship in sports is meager in Pakistan,” Rana lamented.
He said the issue of players’ daily allowance would be solved amicably with the PSB. “The PSB rules allow $20 as daily allowance to the athletes but as per the PHF rules we pay $150 to our players. We have successfully pleaded our case that since the national team’s tour has been arranged at our request so the players should be paid their daily allowance as per the PHF rules,” he said and expressed the hope that the matter would be solved soon.
Ammad Sikka, sponsors’ representative, said his company would offer lucrative prizes once the team qualified for the Olympics. “Our company observed that hockey has been ignored for a long time so we decided to help the national game,” he said.