LAHORE: Former Olym­pian and Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Col Mudassar Asghar says it is disheartening that despite being a true hockey legend Abdul Rasheed Junior has been battling a disease for a year in a Islamabad hospital, noting neither the government nor the PHF is helping the former World Cup winner out at this crunch time of life.

“Having a stature of more than a legend whose contribution to Pakistan hockey is massive, Abdul Rashid Junior is struggling due to severe back pain in a Islamabad hospital where he is in a critical condition,” Col Mudassar told Dawn in a statement.

Born in Bannu, the 79-year-old Abdul Rasheed Junior was one of the best centre-forwards in world hockey.

He holds a unique distinction in Pakistan’s sports history -- to be the only sportsman to have a complete set of Olympic medals: gold (1968), silver (1972) and bronze (1976). He remained the highest scorer in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic editions. When Pakistan won the inaugural World Cup in 1971, Rasheed Jr was part of that team. When he retired, Rasheed Junior’s tally of 96 international goals was a Pakistan record at the time.

It may be mentioned here that Col Mudassar himself is also recovering from severe injuries he received in a road accident a year ago.

“Last year, I met with a serious road accident while coming to Lahore from Islamabad. Pakistan Army, my parent organisation, came forward with full support for me. I am now recovering after spending five months on bed with no physical movement due to cervical disorder,” he said.

“Had Air Marshal Nur Khan been at the helm of PHF affairs, he would have sent Rasheed Junior to abroad for his medical treatment. I talked to Rasheed’s son who told me that his father is in critical condition and still he is in hospital,” the former PHF secretary stated.

“Rasheed was the member of the Pakistan team which won gold medal in at the 1968 Olympics. He scored the equaliser in the semi-final against India when Pakistan were trailing 0-1 in the 1971 World Cup and later Pakistan defeated Spain in the final to win the title,” Col Asghar recalled.

“I know Rasheed Junior personally as we both played hockey for Pakistan. When I was PHF secretary and Rasheed was Pakistan team manager, the country won back-to-back international events -- thee 1994 World Cup in Sydney and the Champions Trophy, the same year in Lahore.”

Pakistan never won any World Cup or Champions Trophy title after 1994.

“Rasheed was a star player as well as a wonderful hockey administrator who has been working with the current PHF set-up. And if he is not currently working and sitting opposite still the PHF has to take full care of this great player of Pakistan, which has been the tradition of the PHF,” he said.

“During my tenure as secretary PHF Olympian Saeed Anwar was also critically ill; the PHF borne all his medical expenses.

Col Asghar continued, “If the PHF cannot lend a helping hand to Rasheed Junior, at least it should approach the government for every sort of help for this top player,” Col Asghar insisted.

The sports ministry in the past never came up to help out players and the same attitude was being meted out to Rasheed Junior, he lamented.

Mudassar said Rasheed was a straightforward man and was never involved in any controversy throughout his life.

“At this age any person can face financial problems. I don’t know if Rasheed is in financial crisis but in any case it is the moral responsibility of both government and the PHF to show their gesture for him by extending him any help he needs,” Col Asghar said.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2020