Pakistan hockey players complain about pending dues, daily allowance ahead of WC
Pakistani hockey players’ financial woes continued as they are yet to receive pending dues from the national federation (PHF) and their daily training camp allowance has also been reduced ahead of the FIH World Cup to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium in August this year.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) interim set-up announced that players and officials of the national team will now receive a daily allowance of USD 110 on foreign tours.
But the players have complained that their training camp allowance has been reduced from USD 11 (3000 rupees) to USD 3.5 (1000 rupees).
According to a reliable source close to the PHF, the senior players had asked the PHF to confirm about how much allowance they would get for the training camp duration.
Pakistan on Thursday named their 20-member squad for next month’s FIH Pro League matches in Belgium and England but didn’t name the captain, a move that didn’t go down well with the players.
Shakeel Ammad Butt has been leading Pakistan since early last year.
“They have announced we will get USD 110 daily allowance for foreign tours, including the World Cup qualifying event we had played in Egypt but we will only believe it unless we are paid that amount,” one player said on condition of anonymity.
He said in the past also the PHF officials had made similar promises but never fulfilled that.
“Right now, we just want to know whether it is true they will pay us just 1000 rupees daily for the camp duration. This amount is an insult to national players,” another player said.
The third leg of the FIH Pro League is scheduled from June 13 to 27 with Pakistan playing Belgium, Spain, England and arch-rivals India. Pakistan will then participate in the FIH World Cup.
