Hockey debacle

This refers to the news report, ‘Agony as Pakistan fail to make cut for Rio Olympics’ (July 4). This was yet another disaster waiting to occur. We won our first Olympic Gold Medal in hockey in 1960 and a bronze medal in wrestling. Since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, we have not won a single medal, yet our National Olympic Committee is hostage to rival groups, each claiming to wear the crown, with nothing to show in terms of performance. As for our elected political governments, the choice to head the Pakistan Hockey Federation is confined to Qasim Zia and Akhtar Rasool – both former Olympians now turned politicians.
The players cannot be blamed for this debacle, given the fact that there were not enough funds available to pay for their allowances, hotel accommodation and fare. They need nutrition, training and enough funds for sustenance. Nobody in government has the political will to order an audit about the fate of over Rs1 billion given to the PHF. As long as sports organisations continue to be doled out to cronies, there is no hope for improvement.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore