Hockey trio issued show-cause notice

PHF wants seniors to break off ties with unofficial league.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has asked three of its senior players to sever ties with the unofficial hockey league in India, the World Series of Hockey.

The players, who are part of the training camp currently being held in Islamabad, will not be considered for selection for the Azlan Shah Cup if they failed to clear their stance over their connection with the Indian league.

Former captain Muhammad Saqlain, while talking to The Express Tribune on Friday, had hinted that certain players, including seniors Rehan Butt, Shakeel Abbasi and Wasim Ahmad, were willing to play in the new lucrative league even after being warned not to. The series replicates the pattern of the popular Indian Premier League but has been declared unofficial by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Subsequently, the PHF has now issued show-cause notices to the trio for alleged contacts with the league.

“The PHF executive council took a very clear decision that since the event is not sanctioned by the FIH or its affiliated units, it will not be recognised by us,” said PHF General Secretary Asif Bajwa. “As per the council’s decision, we have asked Rehan, Wasim and Abbasi to explain if they have any contracts with the league and if so, would they be willing to break this association with the organisers of the unsanctioned event.”

A senior player of the national side also confirmed that Sohail Abbas has come into reckoning for the captain’s arm-band for the forthcoming event.

Captaincy, after Zeeshan Ashraf’s decision to pull out of the event, is a three-way tie with Abbas vying for the slot together with Rehan and Mohammad Imran.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2011.