PHF rejects India's demand for apology, asks FIH, AHF to take 'stern' action

PHF Secretary Shahbaz Ahmad Senior believes the demand is 'disappointing and awkward'

ISLAMABAD: Discarding the demand of Hockey India president Narender Batra for an apology, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Wednesday asked the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to take stern action against their counterpart's harsh statement.

Batra, in a press statement, had said that he would love to have Pakistani players in the Hockey India League (HIL) but not with the kind of behaviour they displayed in the Champions Trophy held last year in India.

Read: Former Pakistan hockey coach slams India's demand for apology

Following the final hooter at the Champions Trophy, Pakistani players made gestures towards the Indian fans at the Kalinga Stadium. But at that time chief coach Shahnaz Sheikh apologized for the incident. However, Batra asked for an apology by the PHF and made it clear that India won't play Pakistan in a friendly series or HIL.

Talking to APP, newly-elected PHF Secretary Shahbaz Ahmad Senior said absolutely no apology would be given to Batra.

"If they have an issue with PHF they must have sent in written but this kind of conduct is totally intolerable,” said Shahbaz.

Shahbaz, who led his team to the 1994 Hockey World Cup victory, said Batra's statement was completely against the spirit of the sport and the FIH and AHF should take serious notice of it.

Read: No Pakistani at Hockey India League again?

"Sports are something in which players and athletes make friends, relations with their other counterparts and the country's politics should be kept aside from this," he said.

He said it looked very strange that Batra was demanding for an apology now while the Champions Trophy was held several months ago.

"It is really disappointing and awkward," he added.

Shahbaz, who is also nicknamed as the Maradona of Hockey, said the PHF won't give any excuse to India's Batra as Shahnaz Sheikh had already apologized for the incident.

"The PHF won't go down for India," he said.

Speaking about the internal hockey affairs, Shahbaz said: "We have requested the government for grant and hopefully will get it in next week. We have sent the details to the government of the expenditures that will be needed for participation in different tournaments."