Pakistan hockey captain Shakeel Ammad Butt has lashed out the national federation after returning from a tumultuous tour of Australia during which his side didn’t just have to roam the streets for lack of accommodation but also “wash dishes before going to play a match”.
Butt told the media at the Lahore Airport early Tuesday morning that the Pakistan Hockey Federation had been telling them lies and “enough was enough”.
“We can’t work with this current management of the federation. When players have to clean the kitchen and wash dishes before going to play a match what result do you expect from us?” PTI quoted a livid Butt as saying angrily.
After the state-run Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) acknowledged that it had paid the PHF over 10 million rupees to book the national team’s hotel in Australia, the PHF came under heavy fire.
Before suitable accommodation was made for them, the players had to wander the streets and wait for hours. They had to play their first game against Australia the following afternoon, and they lost 2-3. Pakistan lost to both Germany and the hosts in every match during the Australia leg.
“What was pathetic was that even the Airbnb accommodation was arranged for 10 days when we had to stay for 13 days. We had to move into a cheaper residence after 10 days,” Butt said.
After Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is the patron-in-chief of the PHF, asked for an investigation into the entire mess, PSB Director-General Noor Us Sabah informed the media that they were putting together a comprehensive report for him. Sharif is the PHF’s principal patron.
Butt revealed that the PHF had threatened disciplinary action against the players for speaking to the media.
“I am speaking up because of what we have been through in Australia,” he said.
“We need a foreign coach if we have to move forward. We have a good combination of players but we need a foreign coach and good management,” he added.
