- Bugti’s resignation is accepted with immediate effect.
- Bugti blames PSB for delay in funds during Australian tour.
- Sanaullah says PSB investigation report is sent to PM.
Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani took charge after being appointed ad hoc president of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) following the resignation of acting president Tariq Bugti.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also the patron-in-chief of the PHF, approved Bugti’s resignation as PHF president with immediate effect on Thursday.
The prime minister has also taken notice of mismanagement in the hockey federation.
Bugti resigned, accusing the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) of mismanagement and failing to release funds on time for travel and logistical expenses related to the team’s participation in the FIH Pro League.
He alleged that payments for hotel bookings in Australia were not made on time, creating great difficulties for players and officials, and claimed that he was told by the PSB that the process could take up to two months.
He appealed to Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir to form a committee to investigate the matter and ascertain the facts.
Bugti also announced a two-year ban for Pakistan captain Ammad Shakeel Butt, accusing him of threatening other players and waging a campaign against the federation management, and said the PHF had decided a day earlier to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Butt for misconduct.
The Prime Minister’s Adviser on Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah later said that a three-member inquiry committee formed by the PSB had completed its investigation and submitted its report to the Prime Minister, and sources familiar with the development said the findings held the PHF responsible.
Meanwhile, Butt made allegations of mismanagement and mental harassment against team management and the PHF, saying players were subjected to conditions no professional athlete should face.
He said the players were forced to perform menial tasks during the tour, including cleaning kitchens, washing dishes, washing their own clothes and scrubbing bathrooms before going to the field to train and play.
Separately, Pakistan Cricket Board president Mohsin Naqvi met players of the national men’s hockey team in Lahore and promised to address their complaints over alleged mistreatment during the Pro Hockey League, while also pledging support ahead of the World Cup Qualifier in Egypt.
“We will serve hockey players in every possible way. We will extend full cooperation to streamline hockey affairs,” Naqvi said.
He ordered officials to make immediate arrangements for flight tickets, playing uniforms and hotel accommodation, ordered that a training camp be set up from Friday and preparations be completed by Thursday night, and ordered that injured players receive immediate medical treatment under the supervision of the PCB.
Naqvi also distributed checks of Rs 1 million each to players after finishing runners-up in a recent national hockey tournament, fulfilling an earlier announcement.
He clarified on
After taking office, Wani said that there was very little time left for the World Cup qualifying phase and that training camp would begin “today or tomorrow.” He said he would meet with the players and decide on measures to improve hockey, adding that any measures he takes now will be short-term.
Wani also announced the lifting of the ban imposed on captain Ammad Shakeel Butt and said emergency measures had been initiated for the promotion and revival of hockey.
He said work was being done to restore trust and reconstitute team management, while the coaching and training system would be improved and institutional coordination strengthened.
He urged the players to focus only on training and matches, saying that the federation would take care of administrative matters, adding that all decisions would be made on the basis of transparency and merit.
