HI's offer of financial help pricks Pak hockey pride

Ipoh, April 6

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The cash-strapped Pakistan Hockey Federation has turned down Hockey India's (HI) offer for financial aid after it evoked strong reactions from a cabinet minister and former players.

“We cannot accept this offer from HI despite their polite gesture as this is purely an internal matter of the Pakistan Hockey Federation,” PHF President Akhtar Rasool said.

Soon after a senior official of Hockey India said last Saturday that it was concerned with news reports about Pakistan being unable to send its team for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Holland due to financial crisis and that HI was willing to lend a helping hand, the Pakistan hockey community reacted strongly. “It is all drama by the PHF to get more funds. It is a shameful situation for us that India is offering us financial assistance for our hockey,” former Olympian and captain Samiullah said.

Similar sort of reactions came from other former players and federal minister for information Pervez Rasheed said India's offer showed the incompetence of PHF. “The government has released around $12 million to the PHF in last few years so it is not as if the government is not supporting but the PHF needs to tell us where this money was spent because we have been told more than the players it was spent on other things,” Rasheed told reporters. — PTI