Pakistan hockey legends Hassan Sardar and Samiullah have strongly condemned an incident in which members of the national team were forced to spend several hours on the road in Australia after their hotel bookings were cancelled due to unpaid bills. The players had arrived in Canberra to participate in the FIH Pro League when they discovered their accommodation had been revoked because the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) failed to clear payments amid financial constraints.
Hockey Legends Express Outrage
Olympian and former captain Samiullah described the episode as “shameful” and urged authorities to address the state of hockey governance in the country.
“The Prime Minister has a lot of time for cricket, but he is also the patron-in-chief of the PHF. I request him to clean up hockey affairs. This is shameful,” Samiullah said.
Former captain and Olympian Hassan Sardar also expressed concern about the psychological impact on the players.
“Imagine how demoralised the players and support staff must be going into a tough tournament against top teams,” he said, calling for a government inquiry to determine responsibility for the humiliation faced by the team.
Tour Marked by Mismanagement and Delays
Further details suggest the team’s problems began even before they reached Australia. A player revealed that the tour had been plagued by administrative lapses, despite assurances of proper facilities and travel arrangements.
“First, our visas were delayed because someone in the PHF failed to submit proper application forms. After completing all documentation and verification, we finally flew to Australia on February 5 via Thai Airways,” the player said.
A PHF source, however, claimed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) was responsible for directly paying hotel bills and arranging travel logistics.
“We didn’t receive funds from the PSB and did not have enough money when the head coach contacted us,” the source said.
Recurring Financial Troubles for Pakistan Hockey
This is not the first time Pakistan hockey has faced such issues. Last year, the national team’s participation in the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia was uncertain until the PHF cleared an outstanding hotel bill of around $10,000.
The latest episode has once again highlighted governance and funding challenges plaguing Pakistan’s national sport, raising serious questions about accountability and administrative efficiency.