Asian Games: Pakistan hockey players embroiled in 'blanket theft' controversy

Three players took blankets with them as souvenirs, returned them later on request

LAHORE: Pakistan hockey team embroiled in yet another scandal after a dismal performance in the Asian Games.

There have been revelations that three players, by their will, decided to bring the blankets to the hotel after the end of the Asian Games in Jakarta.

According to sources, all three players were staying in the same room which is why the team administration did not know about this incident. When the administration counted the blankets, there were three blankets less.

When the Asian Games investigated into the matter, three Pakistani players were revealed to have taken the three blankets without informing the organisers.

The Asian Games administration contacted the Pakistan team manager Hassan Sardar, who immediately returned the three missing blankets.

However, the three players weren’t fined nor did they face any kind of penalty.

Many payers taking part in the worldwide sporting events take traveling bags, towels, blankets, toothpastes, shampoos and other goods as souvenirs.

However, the Asian Games administration had already notified the athletes from Asian countries not to take anything back to their countries and any player who did it, would be heavily fined.

The national team manager said there was no truth in the matter that the players were searched at the airport.

In his video message, he said that the three players mistakenly took the blankets with them and later returned them to the Asia Games village.