LAHORE: The rift between the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the Pakistan Sports Board continues to widen.

PHF president retired Brig Khalid Sajjad Khokhar’s refusal to accept the PSB’s four-member committee to hold elections of the country’s hockey governing body and instead deciding to hold polls on his own to secure reelection has resulted in a face-off which threatens the sport.

Amid reports that the PSB has refused to issue a No-Objection Certificate to the national team, which is due to take part in the Azlan Shah Cup next month in Malaysia, Khokhar issued a strong-worded statement on Wednesday accusing the country’s sports regulatory body of “unconstitutional interference”.

“PSB is playing foul with the national game,” Khokhar said. “It is pursuing the policy of destroying sports and bringing sports into disrepute by unconstitutional interference in the affairs of sports federations.

“PHF is an autonomous organisation affiliated with International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Inter­national Olympic Association (IOC) through Pakistan Olympic Association as per PHF constitution.

“Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) elections for the year 2022-2026 have been recognised by FIH and POA. And in this regard, affiliation letters have also been issued by FIH and POA.

“Whilst abiding by the terms and conditions of its membership with the FIH and IOC, accept assistance, grants and aid from, and cooperate with, the PSB, several unconstitutional letters have been issued by the PSB to the PHF which have no legal status and the PHF has informed the PSB in writing about this.”

The PSB had de-notified Khokhar and two other high-ranking PHF officials for failure to hold elections earlier this year but the PHF chief had been included in the four-man committee proposed by the PSB to hold fresh polls.

Khokhar, however, did not heed the advice of the PSB and went ahead with holding the elections.

There have been reports that the PSB has decided on forming another committee to run hockey affairs in the country.

“We found out from a small newspaper clipping that a committee had been formed,” said Khokhar. “Neither the PSB nor this committee has given any written information about this to the PHF. However, if any such committee wants to inquire about financial matters, then write to us and we are present for it. Then the committee can prepare their recommendations and send them to the authority.

“According to the PHF constitution, no committee has the powers to create an ad-hoc situation or to appoint persons of its choice in place of elected officials.”

Although the government has no constitutional right to interfere in the affairs of any sports federation or the POA, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is the PHF’s Patron-in-Chief.

The PSB remains PHF’s biggest financial sponsor and funds are only issued with the consent of the Patron-in-Chief.

The national team, which has failed to qualify for next year’s FIH World Cup, is currently training under the supervision of head coach Siegfried Aikman at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium in Karachi in preparation for the Azlan Shah Cup,

Khokhar added that it was through a letter that had gone viral on social media that it got to know that the PSB would not issue NOC until the decision of the committee. It has been learnt by Dawn that no letter in that regard has been received at the PHF offices.

“It was surprising that under which constitution the sports board can issue such letters,” Khokhar said. “There is no such thing in the constitutional authority or order of the committee.”

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2022