July 31, 2008	Thursday	Rajab 27, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 30: Pakistan’s only medal hope, the hockey squad, will be leaving with a 34-member contingent from here for Beijing on Thursday night to participate in the Olympic Games scheduled to be held from Aug 8 to 24.

“We have done everything to facilitate the hockey squad and announced good incentives. Now it is up to them to deliver their best at the Olympics,” Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Asif Bajwa told Dawn on Wednesday.

Pakistan last won the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

Hockey has remained the only medal-winning game for Pakistan as the team grabbed three gold medals in 1960 (Italy), 1968 (Mexico) and 1984 (Los Angeles).

When asked about the tough competition the team has to face in Pool ‘B’, the Olympian said: “Today hockey has changed a lot and the team which plays on the day is the winner so it depends on luck and with what game plan you move on the trough.”

In pool ‘B’, Pakistan will face the Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, Great Britain and Canada.

The Australians will defend their gold medal in Beijing as men’s hockey celebrates 100 years at the Olympics.

Pakistan play their first match on Aug 11 against Great Britain.

“We are hopeful of a positive show from the hockey team which will be playing under captain Zeeshan Ashraf,” Bajwa added.

Regarding the winning chances of the green shirts, the PHF secretary said, “Nobody can predict whether we can make it to the victory stand or not but we will try to give our best.”

Meanwhile, the management of the hockey team is confident that there will be no doping issues for the green shirts despite the fact that the squad will be leaving without undergoing dope tests.

Khawaja Zakauddin, the head coach of the Pakistan hockey squad told Dawn on Wednesday, “Doping was never a matter of concern for Pakistan hockey.”

The Anti-Doping Organisation of Pakistan (ADOP) had expressed concern over PHF’s failure to give a dope clearance report of the players to the body.

The head coach hoped they would come back from the Olympics without any doping scandal.

When he was asked why the players were not tested despite the available time, he said it took three months for the dope test report.

It may be mentioned here that Pakistan swimmers who gave their sample for the dope test received a clearance report from the World-Anti Doping Agency within 10 days.

ADOP chairman Dr Waqar stressed that the hockey players should have been dope tested.

“In case a player is caught in a doping offence in Beijing, he would be banned for two years,” he concluded.