Anjum Saeed dropped as Pakistan hockey team manager for Pro League

The Pakistan Hockey Federation will not send former Olympian Anjum Saeed as manager with the national team for the second phase of the FIH Pro League, following an incident of indiscipline in Brazil last month. The second phase of the FIH Pro League is scheduled to be held in Hobart, Australia next month and a reliable PHF source said that Anjum will not even attend the national training camp for the event.

“It has been decided not to send Anjum with the team to Australia because of his undisciplined behavior while returning home from Argentina last month with the national team,” the source said. “Head coach Tahir Zaman will also act as manager in Australia.” Anjum, who was the team manager, was detained by Brazilian authorities in Rio de Janeiro during the return journey after the team’s flight stopped there for refuelling.

He was allegedly caught smoking on the aircraft, which led to an argument with airline staff, following which he was detained for a day and not allowed to return with the squad. Anjum and a player who stayed back with him eventually returned to Pakistan on a later flight, two days after the team reached home. Though Anjum denied that he was smoking, the source said the PHF had completed its inquiry and found him guilty of indiscipline.