Former Olympian calls PHF 'job centre'

LAHORE: Former national team coach Olympian Tauqeer Dar has called the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) a “job center” and said that the destruction of the national spot is all due to protection of personal interests.

“We have accepted humiliation. We now don’t feel anxiety and worry and embarrassment over our defeat. After coming into office, we think of our family instead of the country. We do not love our country anymore. People celebrate Independence Day but the fact is that we do not love our country,” Dar expressed these views while talking to this correspondent.

Giving the example of Karachi, he went on to say that the city has a population of 25 million but there is not a single boy in the national team from there and in Lahore hockey is played at only two or three places.

“The Olympians are the first to be taken into account. They are responsible for the destruction of the national spot. If the government cannot sponsor hockey, then the private sector should. Anyone who gets a job in the federation becomes diplomatic,” he added.

About Prime Minister Imran Khan's directives to change the constitution, Dar said that hockey will be totally destroyed if the role of departments is abolished. “No one will play hockey if there are no departments. Departments provide a player security. Hockey has become the most expensive team game in the world. The goalkeeper's kit is worth Rs300,000,” he said.

He also called the people coming to PHF flatterers and opportunists. “The flatterers thrive and are seen again and again coming in, in the name of serving the national game. There are fewer hockey players and more aspirants for positions,” he said.

“For the last 20 years nothing concrete has been done. People come and people go. In the past, there were people who looked for talent and then honed it. Today, when a good player comes forward, his path is blocked,” he said.

He said there was no hockey at school, college or university level. “When hockey was played in educational institutions, we used to win medals,” he said.

“Say bad things and keep saying bad things until you get some responsibility. There can never be improvement unless we work with honesty, sincerity and service to the country. Solve player problems. We have always achieved success on individual talents. There are still talented players in the country but there is no one to take care of them,” he said.