04 June 2004	Friday	15 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, June 3: Pakistan half-back Mohammad Saqlain has been axed from Europe-bound Pakistan hockey squad on disciplinary grounds and will not be considered for Olympics, Pakistan Hockey Federation said on Thursday.

PHF Secretary rushed from Lahore to Karachi and met coach Roelant Oltmans and Tahir Zaman before it was decided to drop Saqlain. "Saqlain had attitude problems in the past couple of years which was reported to PHF but keeping his experience, he was retained in the team," PHF secretary Brig Musarrat Ullah said. "No replacement will be considered for him," he added.

He said Saqlain's attitude problems was not only felt by PHF President but also observed by chief selector, Akhtar Rasool, Hassan Sardar, Tahir Zaman, and Oltmans. "No body is above discipline and we have decided to drop him in the larger interest of the game and the team," PHF official.

Giving the details of the incident involving Saqlain at Hockey Club of Pakistan during team's final session today, he said Saqlain had a full swing on the ball which hit and injured Adnan Maqsood, who also plays at in half-line.

He said there were lot of complaints against Saqlain for abusing his team-mates and Thursday's incident proved "a last nail in the coffin." Pakistan hockey squad was due to leave for Birmingham via Dubai and Amsterdam late Thursday night on the first leg of their European trip. -APP