Jakhrani asks hockey team to withdraw resignation

Jakhrani said the players had told him that reports of match-fixing in the tournament or infighting among the players were not true. —AFP Photo

ISLAMABAD Federal Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani on Tuesday asked members of the national hockey team to withdraw their resignations, saying some of them are still good enough to serve the country after holding one-to-one with players of the national squad here at his office.

The minister felt the decision to resign was a touching one, adding many players could still serve Pakistan hockey.

“I have told Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Qasim Zia not to accept their [players'] retirement decisions. What happened in the World Cup was disappointing but we need to learn from our mistakes,” Jakhrani said.

Qasim also attended the meeting which lasted an hour and in which the minister heard the players' version of the debacle in New Delhi.

Jakhrani said the players had told him that reports of match-fixing in the tournament or infighting among the players were not true.

“Reports that players had a fight with [manager] Asif Bajwa and coach Shahid Ali Khan are also not true. The players admitted they took the decision to retire since they were ashamed at letting the nation down badly,” he said.

“We have got some information that there was confrontation among the players but the Pakistan players have rejected the news regarding confrontation among them,” he added.

Jakhrani also announced that all former Olympians, who wanted the PHF set-up to be changed, would be included on a management committee and on the new selection committee so that they could be involved in running the hockey affairs.

Pakistan's senior player Rehan Butt later told the media there was no infighting in the team and blamed the squad's worst-ever performance in a World Cup to its hectic schedule.

Jakhrani also made it clear that no decision had been taken on removing Bajwa as secretary of the PHF.

He, however, clarified that since the PHF came under the Sports Ministry control, he would decide if Bajwa will stay or go.

“I will consult the higher authorities and if we feel that by sacking Bajwa Pakistan hockey can improve, we will remove him,” the sports minister stated.

He also said if the Sports Ministry decides to remove Bajwa then Qasim Zia would not be in a position to save him. “I don't think so. Else he would not have sacked him immediately as the team manager,” he added.—APP

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