Hockey | Financial problems lead to questions on Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup

11/08/2018

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Financial constraints of the Pakistan Hockey Federation are leading to questions being raised on the participation of the Pakistani team in the upcoming World Cup to be held in India. Apart from this problem, the Pakistan team and support staff are yet to visas to travel to India for the event.

Financial problems are not new to the Pakistan Hockey Federation(PHF) but the recent troubles are coming at a time when the Pakistan Hockey team will have to participate in the Hockey World Cup which is slated to be held from November 28th at the refurbished Kalinga Stadium in Odisha. Pakistan team head coach Tauquir Dar said that Pakistan Hockey Federation had requested the Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) for some financial assistance but the PCB refused the same stating that the Hockey Board is yet to clear earlier loans which they had taken.

"He was scheduled to meet us on Thursday but due to some urgent issues he spoke to us on phone. He made it clear that the PCB couldn't advance any loan to the PHF since the federation had not returned a loan given to them by the board during the tenure of Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia in early 2000," said Dar.

"Mani sahib has however assured us he will speak to the government and sponsors to help us overcome our financial crunch," Dar added.

The situation for the Hockey board is dire as the PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed has said that the board has now requested the Government to release the funds many times but the government is yet the respond.

"We have now written directly to the Prime Minister's secretariat for the grant to be released within this week or else it would be very difficult for us to send the team to India.nIf we are not able to send the team to India it will not only damage our image in world hockey but we will also face a hefty fine from the FIH," Shahbaz added.

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