LAHORE: In a hard-hitting statement, former secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Asif Bajwa on Monday hurled serious allegations against the former Olympians who joined the federation recently, claiming their target was to occupy the federation and not the betterment of the national game.

“[Earlier] I was happy when these former Olympians joined the PHF because I thought it was a good sign for our hockey, but when facts were revealed to me it disappointed me because it was all result of a conspiracy hatched in order to occupy the PHF after entering its fold, instead of criticising from outside,” Bajwa told media at a hurriedly called news conference here on Monday.

“I will advise PHF president Akhtar Rasool and secretary Rana Mujahid to remain alert because these Olympians unfortunately possess a history of stabbing in the back,” Bajwa said in a serious tone.

Recently, Shahnaz Sheikh (head coach), Islahuddin Siddiqi (chief selector), Ayaz Mahmood (selector) , Akhtar-ul-Islam (executive board member), Shahbaz Senior and others joined the PHF, ending their four-year long opposition against the set-up first headed by Qasim Zia and now by Akhtar Rasool.

Without mentioning the names of any Olympians, Bajwa claimed that three among them, whom he said were defaulters, two were part of the Pakistan Hockey Federation executive board while one was out of the federation.

“According to the audit objections raised by the Auditor General of Pakistan in the PHF accounts, these three are to pay back money to the PHF, which they withdrew under different heads,” Bajwa stated.

Bajwa also questioned how Islahuddin (chief selector) and Shahnaz Sheikh (head coach) were made eligible to be part of the PHF executive board.

“Since the PHF executive board is to hold head coach and chief selector accountable for the team’s show in competitions, how both [Shahnaz and Islahuddin] in their current capacity will hold themselves accountable,” he wondered.

“Taking control of three seats in the executive board gives a clear message that they want to occupy the entire Pakistan Hockey Federation,” he reckoned.

Highlighting that chief selector Islahuddin received funds amounting to Rs20 million from the government recently for his own academy, Bajwa insisted Islahuddin should also be held responsible for giving the account of where those funds were utilised.

In December, he alleged, all three would try to get the owed money waived off.

“When I was Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary these Olympians were criticising Rana Mujahid [current PHF secretary] for holding several positions in the federation. However, now they [Shahnaz and Islahuddin] themselves are occupying two posts,” Bajwa underlined, adding the old Olympians had no plan for betterment of the game.

“I would like to remind the nation and media that currently, Pakistan, by winning the 2010 Asian Games and the 2013 Asian Champions Trophy, is regarded number one in Asia. Besides we also seized bronze medal in the 2012 Champions Trophy.

“These three events are scheduled to be held by December this year. And I challenge the current PHF management that national team will not be able to repeat their performance. If they retain [all the three] positions, I will publicly ask for apology from them, otherwise they will have to seek apology from public,” Bajwa asserted.

In this regard, Bajwa said, he would again address a press conference in December this year.

Commenting on the appointment of national coaches, Bajwa regretted that Pakistan Hockey Federation’s modern coaches, like Tahir Zaman and others, had been sidelined and the reins of national game had been given to these old coaches who he feared would take Pakistan hockey to ‘stone age’.

“Tahir is one of the best modern coaches the country has presently. But surprisingly he is associated neither with the national senior team nor with the junior outfit,” he bemoaned.

As soon as the Pakistan Hockey Federation received funds, Bajwa claimed, these Olympians (Shahnaz and Islahuddin) would demand the Pakistan Hockey Federation to pay them remuneration .

Ironically, Bajwa recalled, they in the past had been relentlessly criticising his policy of having paid coaches.

Responding to a query regarding chief selector Islahuddin’s reported statement in which he said he needed three, four years to raise a formidable team, Bajwa said he was just demanding him the national squad clinch Asian level titles, and nothing more.

“At least they have got the team which won the Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy crowns and bronze medal in the [world] Champions Trophy and so [considering these achievements] the team should at least defend these titles [by coming December],” Bajwa concluded.