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Published 01 Feb, 2009 12:00am

Committee fails to submit report: Beijing hockey debacle

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The committee formed by the Federal Sports Ministry to investigate Pakistan’s debacle at the Beijing Olympics hockey event has failed to submit its report despite the passage of three months.

Former Olympian Abdul Waheed, Shahbaz Senior and Rana Mohammad Farooq, now a Federal Minister for Textile Industry, were nominated by the Sports Ministry in the enquiry committee.

Pakistan finished eighth in the 12-nation hockey competition.

The committee was also awarded with the power to question anyone especially the team management which accompanied the squad in Beijing.

Sources told Dawn on Saturday: “This is lack of coordination and poor management by the head of the committee now a busy federal minister.”

The source asserted: “Rana Farooq at no time sent any information to the Sports Ministry, while the ministry did not mount any pressure on the committee to submit the report within a limited time frame.”

The investigation report along with its recommendations were to be forwarded to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who is also the Patron-in-Chief of the national game.

When contacted, Federal Sports Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jillani said: “Rana Farooq has assured me that after holding the meeting of the committee members, they will forward the report to the Sports Ministry soon.”

He added: “Olympian Hanif Khan is also part of the committee now as his name has been added on my recommendation.”

When asked what action the ministry would take on the committee’s report as many members of the team management which went to Beijing have already resigned, he pointed out: “Let them file the report first and I’ll let you know the actions.”

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