Pakistan hockey players have not yet received their dues for the national team’s participation in the Asia Cup and European tour. It is understood that Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) owes each player more than Rs. 2 lacs.
Furthermore, the national team’s central contracts have also been put on a hold for the past few months due to the dire situation of the national sport. Sources also revealed that the players who were part of the Asia Cup and the European tour took out loans to sponsor their trips with the national side.
Speaking on the financial matters, the PHF secretary, Muhammad Asif Bajwa, stated that the dues of players and other important matters will be discussed in a meeting of the high officials tomorrow.
The Pakistan hockey team is undergoing a grim situation currently. While the team’s performances on the field have seen some improvement, the operational side of the PHF has been poor to say the least.
The national side is currently undergoing a training camp in Abbottabad as preparation for the upcoming Commonwealth Games without the head coach, Siegfried Aikman, who is still awaiting his visa for over two weeks. Similarly, the strength and conditioning coach, Daniel Barry, was also not present in the camp due to mismanagement as PHF did not make prior travel arrangements.