KARACHI, June 28: Pakistan hockey manager Shahnaz Sheikh on Saturday said the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) should tackle the disciplinary case against the players as it is not a personal issue between him and Wapda.

“Why I should talk to Wapda on this issue, while it is PHF’s responsibility to deal with it,” Shahnaz said from Sialkot.

The former Olympian was reacting to reports that PHF has asked Wapda to contact Shahnaz and decide the case of two of their players — Sohail Abbas and Waseem Ahmad — who, according to Wapda, went to play in professional league abroad with Shahnaz’s consent.

The controversy erupted when four players Sohail, Waseem, Mohammad Nadeem and Amir Saleem, opted to play in league abroad and skipped the training camp for the Australian tour earlier this year.

Wapda alleged their players Sohail and Waseem went to Germany after a go-ahead from their coach Shahnaz who has been elevated as manager after the death of Col Shahid Jaffery. Shahnaz denied the players proceeded with his consent.

Following the allegations by Wapda against Shahnaz, according to reports, PHF has decided the matter should be resolved by Wapda and Shahnaz.

Shahnaz replied in negative when asked if he had been officially intimated by the PHF that the matter should be decided by him and Wapda.

“I have not received any such directive in writing or verbally from the PHF in this regard,” he said.

Earlier, the PHF had stated it would probe into the matter before taking a final decision, but now reports say PHF wants Shahnaz and Wapda should deal it on their own.

Although PHF claims the players did not approach it for seeking approval before proceeding abroad, it has been learnt PHF was contacted by some players before leaving the country but were refused permission to play in league in foreign countries.

The present scenario has put PHF in a catch-22 situation as it faces an uphill task ahead of the Champions Trophy to be hosted by the Dutch city of Amstelveen in August.

While the absence of Sohail and Waseem from the Trophy would take some nip out of the team, it would be double standards of the PHF if it takes no action against them.

PHF has already penalised former captain Nadeem by dropping him from the squad that went to Down Under. But officials have indicated that Sohail and Waseem may be considered for the Trophy after fines which, according to hockey circles, would be injustice to Nadeem.