Dismissal of two Pakistani female hockey players from the national team for accusing the coach of sexual misconduct
LAHORE: The dismissal of two Pakistani female hockey players from the national team for accusing the coach of sexual misconduct and harassment is another example of how justice remains a privilege of a certain gender.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) without even conducting a formal probe dropped the female players from the team. This will prevent any other female players from raising their voice against such experiences. What is even more disappointing is the support of the secretary of the PHF women’s wing who happens to be a female herself and yet completely fails to understand and view the situation from the accusers’ perspective. Such cases only reinforce gender disparity and reduce female participation.
A fair probe into the matter is the least the victims could expect with the presence of monitory and regulatory bodies. Knowing someone since childhood and being a close friend, cited as the reason for innocence by the secretary of the women’s wing in favour of the coach, should not be taken as giving a clean chit to the accused where allegations against the accused are completely disregarded on the basis of an informal and personal acquaintance or, perhaps, his achievements as a coach to the team.
Maryam Habib
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2017.
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