Australia tour fiasco: PHF chief resigns, coach also offers to step down
Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Bugti has resigned from his position in the aftermath of the hotel fiasco during the national team’s troubled tour of Australia earlier this month. Bugti on Thursday confirmed that he had sent his resignation to the patron-in-chief of PHF, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
“I have sent my resignation letter to the PM but I urge him and Field Marshal Asim Munir to conduct an impartial inquiry into the whole incident which took place in Australia during the FIH Pro League,” Bugti said. The controversy started when a video surfaced on social media showing Pakistani players standing on the streets of Sydney with their luggage.
Soon after the video went viral, Pakistan hockey captain Shakeel Ammad Butt Released another clip claiming that everything was fine and there were no problems in terms of their stay. But a few days later after returning back Butt criticised the PHF at a press conference in Lahore and held the federation responsible for the mismanagement during the chaotic tour, claiming in another video that the team not only had to wander the streets due to lack of accommodation but also “wash dishes before playing a match.”
He also claimed that nine players were yet to get their daily allowances from the PSB and PHF for the last one year. The players questioned that when the government had given funds to the PHF for the team’s participation in all three phases of the FIH Pro League, why they had to suffer for logistical blunders in Australia, where the second phase concluded earlier this week.
The criticism, however, cost Butt dearly as Bugti imposed a two-year ban on the skipper for his outburst, saying he brought disrepute to Pakistan hockey. Bugti’s resignation comes in explosive times for Pakistan hockey with the PHF and the state-run Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) trading blame at each other for the fiasco. Bugti said that the PSB handled all the arrangements for the Australia tour and it was responsible for the disaster. But when asked about a cheque for more than one million rupees the PSB had sent to the PHF to cover hotel expenses, he refrained from giving any answer.
Pakistan team’s head coach has also offered to resign, but said some players were very indiscipline, including skipper Butt, who used abusive language against other players and it affected the team’s performance in the FIH Pro League. Pakistan has lost all its eight matches so far and are placed last in the nine-team competition. Pakistan will travel to Egypt after four months to take part in the final qualifying tournament for the World Cup.
