LAHORE, May 29: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), acting on the recommendations made by its disciplinary committee, on Tuesday dished out heavy fines for the rebel players who participated in the controversial WSH in India early this year.

While former captains Rehan Butt and Shakeel Abbasi have been fined one million rupees each, six other players have been imposed with fines of Rs 250,000 apiece for violating the PHF as well as the International Hockey Federation rules.

The decision has come at a time when the national team is showing dismal performance in the ongoing Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

However, the national selection committee will now have an opportunity to induct senior players like Rehan and Shakeel into the team ahead of the London Olympics if they agree to pay the fines imposed on them.

A PHF statement released on Tuesday said: “The move by the rebel players was very alarming for the PHF and it immediately informed the FIH about it. Also, the PHF forwarded the case to PHF disciplinary committee to probe the matter and forward the recommendations to the PHF president.

“In the meantime, the PHF issued show-cause notices to all the players who took part in the unsanctioned event. The replies to the show cause notices are still awaited.

It further said: “The committee asked the players for their original contract/documents with the Nimbus (WSH sponsors) and record of the first payments received. All of them provided the required record except Imran Warsi who is out of country.

“Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt have been fined one million rupees each as they preferred money over national cause since both of them had been selected among the probables for the national camp which was set up to prepare for the upcoming London Olympics.

“They not only violated PHF constitution and FIH by-laws, but also brought embarrassment to the nation. If the players do not pay the fine, they will be banned for a period of one year,” the PHF statement concluded.