04 September 2004	Saturday	18 Rajab 1425

LAHORE, Sept 3: Former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh on Friday suggested having professionals in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) accepting the responsibility for Olympic debacle was not the actual remedy.

The former forward was commenting over the statement of secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Brig Musarrat Ullah Khan in which he stated that he, along with the PHF president Gen Aziz Khan, team management, selectors and the players, was responsible for the disaster.

He said that according to a rough estimate Rs30 million had been spent in one year for the Olympics but added that PHF failed to chalk-out an effective plan for the mega event.

"There were several tours abroad on which freeloaders were sent," he observed and added that not only in Olympics but PHF failed in achieving results in 2000 Sydney Olympics, World Cup, three Champions Trophies and Asian Games.

Shahnaz said Pakistan could have achieved a place among top four instead of fifth and urged that domestic hockey be run on professional lines.