Mumbai: Pakistan hockey averted a major crisis as players of the national men’s team agreed to feature in the second round of the FIH Hockey Men’s Pro League after a fortnight of agitation and boycott of the training camp over lack of payments, a news report said on Thursday.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, Rana Mujahid, met the players in Islamabad on Thursday and assured them that they will get the promised 114 US dollars (around 30,000 PKR) in daily allowances for next month’s second round matches in Hobart, Australia.
“Pakistan Sports Board, which has provided the PHF with a big amount of 250 million PKR for the Pro League had shown reservation on the arrangements and lack of payments during the first round of the League in December last year and had directed the Federation to clear all the dues of the players in a week,” sources told Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net) on Thursday.
A player told www.telecomasia.net the agreement is for the second round, and there are no promises of the outstanding payments. “We have done everything to save this tour, but PHF has not relented. This is a very disappointing situation, as hockey is our bread and butter.
“We boycotted the training sessions and finally, on the intervention of the Sports Board, we have got promises, hope the PHF fulfils the promise and does not make us suffer on the tour of Australia.”
Pakistan will play Australia (February 10 and 13) and Germany (February 11 and 14) in the second round of the Pro League.
Pakistan had qualified for the Pro League despite last year’s second-place finish in the FIH Nations Cup, as New Zealand withdrew because of a lack of funds.
The nine-team event started last year with Pakistan losing all four matches in round one. They went down to the Netherlands 7-3 and 5-2, and lost 5-1 and 3-2 to Argentina.
Pakistan, four-time world and three-time Olympic champions, have not qualified for the Olympics since 2012.
(IANS)
