September 09, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 8, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: The Federal Sports Ministry on Monday constituted a three-member committee to investigate the reasons and causes responsible for the national hockey team’s pathetic performance at the Beijing Olympics.

The committee will be headed by member National Assembly (MNA) Rana Farooq Saeed along with Olympians Shahbaz Ahmed (senior), and hockey stalwart Abdul Waheed.

An official spokesman for the ministry told Dawn that the committee will review the performance of hockey team; make suggestions as to how to regain its past glory and how to arrest the declining level of hockey.

Pakistan performed poorly in Beijing despite having the potential to perform well. Greenshirts, three time Olympics gold medalists, finished eighth among the 12-nation hockey competition.

The spokesman added that the recommendations and results of the probe committee will be forwarded to the Pakistan Hockey Federation Patron-in-Chief, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Committee member Shahbaz Sr, who is also known ‘ the man with electric heels’, was the captain of the national side which won the 1994 World Cup title against the Netherlands.

Regarding Olympian Abdul Waheed the official said that he was part of the Pakistan hockey team which won Pakistan’s first gold medal in hockey at the Rome Olympics in 1960 defeating India.

When asked about the background of the MNA Rana Farooq Saeed, also the convener of the committee, the official said that Saeed was a university hockey player and remained actively involved with hockey in his constituency.

“The committee member can consult any person and co-opt with any one whom they believe helpful for coming up with strong suggestions” the official said.

“The probe committee will submit their findings in October” the official concluded.