LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Akhtar Rasool hailed Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif’s “timely decision” to patronise the game by organising the inaugural Chief of Army Staff Challenge Hockey Cup in Rawalpindi and awarding lucrative cash prizes to the top teams.

Akhtar is struggling to raise funds for the game as he tries to improve PHF’s financial position with the federal government yet to release the annual grant to it and said the players were happy as big cash prizes were at stake in the tournament.

The COAS Challenge Cup concluded on Sunday with winners National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) honoured with a cash prize of Rs1 million and the runners-up Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) receiving Rs700,000 and third-placed Army bagging Rs500,000. The Army chief was also the chief guest on the final day.

“The prize money at the tournament was unprecedented as never has such an amount been given to the winners of a domestic tournament,” Akhtar told Dawn on Monday.

“This generous gesture of the Army chief has encouraged the PHF to redouble its efforts to revive Pakistan’s past glory in the game.

“The Pakistan hockey team won silver at the Champions Trophy and the Asian Games despite the odds against them and this performance is an indicator we can achieve more milestones if we receive proper support”, the PHF president stressed.

Akhtar, the captain of the victorious Pakistan team at the 1982 World Hockey Cup, urged other national departments, particularly affiliated with the PHF, to come forward and support the game by organising national level tournaments in the country.

“The onus has now shifted towards the departmental heads, after Pakistan Army’s support to the national game, that they play their effective role to carry the healthy tradition set by Gen. Raheel Sharif,” Akhtar maintained.

Akhtar also praised Pakistan Customs for organising the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Hockey Cup, a national tournament, in Karachi this month.

To a question, Akhtar hoped the federal government would release the annual grant to the PHF as the federation needed it to start preparations for the 2016 Olympic qualifiers.

Published in Dawn February 3rd , 2015

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