Disciplinary committee to decide Butt’s fate: PHF secretary

National goalkeeper dropped after blaming head coach for damaging sport in country

KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), on Thursday announced that they will be forming a disciplinary committee to take a decision against Imran Butt after the Pakistani goalkeeper blamed head coach Khawaja Junaid for trying to ruin his career and damaging the sport of hockey, revealed PHF Secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Sr.

In a short video message sent to media on Monday, Imran said: “Junaid has mentally tortured me by levelling baseless allegations of conceding the goals deliberately due to my association with the other countries’ federations. For the last six months, Junaid has been torturing me mentally and I will appeal to the PHF to remove him from coaching as he is destroying the national game and the players, too. I beg the PHF to remove such coach as he is the enemy of the players and the game.”

Shahbaz, while acknowledging Imran’s talent and his services to the country, said the goalkeeper has been temporarily dropped because he is currently unfit and due to his ‘baseless allegations’ against the coach.

“Imran is a great goalkeeper and he has always kept the country first. He is always available to represent the country but unfortunately he is currently unfit and sadly he made some baseless allegations against the head coach,” he said. “I have sent a letter to his department [PIA] asking for an explanation for his allegations. We will also be forming a five-member disciplinary committee which will decide what action needs to be taken against him.”

Shahbaz, while talking about the possible action to be taken against Butt, said: “This will be decided by the committee but actions can include a fine or ban for some matches.”

He added that Butt has not done something for which he should be banned for life. “We cannot finish his career for this offence. Currently he has submitted his medical reports which state that he is unfit, so he will be considered [for selection] after he is fit again,” he said.

Shahbaz further revealed that Butt won’t be considered for the upcoming tours to Australia and New Zealand. He also said that Pakistan national hockey team has been struggling to find a good goalkeeper for a long time. “Butt is the best goalkeeper we have and he is also the keeper of national champions PIA so we cannot forget him. He will always be on top of our priority list.”