LAHORE, May 17: Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary (PHF) Asif Bajwa, while praising performance of the national junior team for achieving second place in the recently-concluded Junior Asia Cup in Malaysia, announced a hectic programme for senior and junior players.

Bajwa, who returned home from Malaysia last night having watched matches of the junior team, reposed confidence in players and the team management for claiming the silver medal in the regional event.

Pakistan lost the final 2-1 to Malaysia despite being favourites in the match.

However, having taken second position, the Pakistan junior team have qualified for the World Cup to be held in India next year.

“Our target was to qualify for next year’s World Cup and by the grace of God, boys have achieved that goal successfully, though they lost the final after giving tough time to Malaysia,” Bajwa remarked.

The victory in the Asia Cup, the secretary added, bode well for the senior team in terms of replenishing.

PHF academies have played a great role in producing quality players for the junior team of which six players have also made their places in the senior team, he said.

The PHF secretary further said the junior team would now play four-nation tournament in China scheduled for August and later a seven-nation tournament to be played in Malaysia in November as part of the training programme for the World Cup.

Stating that the PHF also plans the Junior Super League, which would be held in December this year or Jan 2013, Bajwa said that a four-nation junior tournament in Pakistan next year was also on the card, adding that the junior team would then feature in a five-nation European tournament in May and June 2013.

Commenting on the senior team’s activities, Bajwa said that after participation in the 21st Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to be held in Malaysia from May 24 to June 3, the seniors would leave for a tour of Europe.

Pakistan would play two matches against Germany in Cologne, one each against Belgium and Holland.

After the European tour, the 16-member Pakistan team would be announced for the London Olympics, he stated.

The PHF secretary said that the Pakistan team would depart for London Olympics on July 11 where they will have a 10-day training camp at the Cannock Hockey Club Birmingham.

Stating that during the 10-day training Pakistan would also play two practice matches, Bajwa said while the match against Belgium was confirmed, the other match, which would either be played against New Zealand or Argentina, was yet to be confirmed.

Meanwhile, the secretary revealed that PHF disciplinary committee, probing the case of eight rebel players who had opted to play in the breakaway WSH league in India, would hand over its report to the PHF next week.

The players have not only violated the PHF constitution, but also ignored directives of FIH, Bajwa said, adding that the committee has asked the players to submit their agreements along with record of the first payment they received.

“As per the FIH by-laws, any player who signed contract after March 31, 2011 may face one year ban,” he contended.

Five players out of total eight, appearing before the disciplinary committee, have taken the stance that they had signed the contract with the WSH before March 31, 2011.

However, the factual position of their claim will be cleared when they produce the documents relating to their first payment.

There is also a report that even those players who had signed the contracts before March 31, 2011 would face penalties in the shape of fine or ban for some months.