Olympians divided over reconciliation

Samiullah rejects PHF committee; Shahnaz sees no harm in meeting .

KARACHI: Olympians unhappy over the conduct of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) appeared divided over holding talks with the reconciliation committee formed by the federation.

The PHF formed a three-member committee comprising of former Olympians Zafar Ali Khan, Khwaja Zakauddin and Iftikhar Syed to bring the protesting Olympians on board.“The committee will make efforts to bring back the annoyed Olympians in the hockey circle to work together for the national cause,” said a PHF official.

Several Olympians have been demanding the ouster of the current set-up headed by Akhtar Rasool (PHF president) and Rana Mujahid (PHF secretary) who were elected last November. They feel that the elections only brought in power those who had done nothing for the game in the years gone by.

Samiullah rules out talk

Legendary Olympian Samiullah Khan rejected the committee, saying that there is no use of holding such discussions.

“We are demanding an interim set-up,” the Olympian told The Express Tribune.

“Meeting with the [reconciliation] committee will be a waste of time. We are requesting the patron to form an interim set-up by removing the current federation that has failed to deliver.”

Meanwhile, Shahnaz Sheikh, another bitter critic of the PHF gave a contrasting version, “Olympians named in the committee are our seniors and we respect them. There is no harm in holding discussions with them.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2014.

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