PHF didn’t contact me citing inability to come to World Cup, says Narinder Batra

11/10/2018

FIH president Narinder Batra has reportedly rubbished rumours just one day after it was reported that Pakistan might not participate in Hockey World Cup for lack of funds. PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed has seconded Batra stating that Pakistan would play and the visas are expectantly coming next week.

It was reported yesterday that the Pakistan Cricket Board had refused to help the struggling national hockey team with funds that had raised serious doubts over Pakistan’s participation in the World Cup that has been scheduled in Bhubaneswar from November 28 to December 16. However, International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Batra wrote off all the reports stating that Pakistan Hockey Federation hasn’t contacted him regarding anything like that.

“I don’t know where did this imaginary report come from? I am the president of FIH but I have no information about any such development, PHF has never contacted me to inform about their inability to come to India for the World Cup. As far as FIH is concerned, Pakistan are going to play in the World Cup,” Batra told TOI on Friday.

PHF secretary Shahbaz further detailed it stating the same. He acknowledged PHF’s financial crisis and admitted that they have requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to release funds for the hockey team but also revealed Pakistan hockey team would travel to World Cup regardless of that.

“You must understand that release of funds by the government takes time. The PMO is looking into the matter. We have a PM who himself is a legendary cricketer and regarded all over the world for his achievements. He understands our concerns better than anybody else in the country.

"Moreover, we have plenty of millionaires from Pakistan living across the world and I am sure they will come forward when the national hockey team needs their support. But we may not need that at the moment as PHF is confident that funds will be released shortly by the PM,” said Shahbaz, who had led Pakistan to gold in the 1994 World Cup and was also a member of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where Pakistan had managed to clinch the bronze.

“I don’t deny that PHF has some issues related to funds but there is not one iota of truth in the story that we are not going to play in the World Cup due to financial problems. It’s an utterly false report and I, as the secretary of PHF, vehemently deny it. Do you believe that a four-time World Cup champion team will not participate in such a big event? I have never given such statement to the Pakistan media. You can be rest assured that Pakistan is coming to India,” further added the only player in the history of the sport to win two consecutive ‘Player of the Tournament’ awards in the 1990 Lahore World Cup and the 1994 Sydney World Cup,

He also revealed that there are no visa related issues either as all the applications were sent to the Indian High Commission.

“There is no visa problem. We have completed all the formalities and hopefully we’ll receive the visas within next week,” Shahbaz said.