LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation has received the report on hockey team’s dismal performance at the Rio Olympics qualifying round from its fact finding committee on Wednesday.

The green-shirts had secured eighth position in the qualifiers held in Belgium from June 20 to July 5 and as a result failed to qualify for the 2016 Games hockey event.

After the debacle, the Inter-provincial ministry and the PHF had formed their separate committees to probe the performance.

The IPC committee, headed by Olympian Col Mudassar Asghar, had already submitted its report putting responsibility on PHF officials and the team management.

The PHF committee, headed by Olympian Shahid Ali Khan, pointed out that preparation of the national team for such a big event was not perfect and players also displayed below par performance.

PHF secretary Rana Mujahid said he had received the report but would not disclose its findings as they were meant only for PHF and IPC.

He said the report was comprehensive, having useful suggestions, and if they implement them the national game would revive.

Rana added that the PHF would take some steps in preparing the national junior team which would participate in the qualifying round of the World Cup, to be held in India in October this year.

To a question how worthy the report was since that was prepared by the PHF’s own appointed committee, Rana said he had great respect for all members of the committee.

“The PHF formed the committee and it considers the report worthy,” he said.

He admitted that missing next year’s Rio Olympics was a great disappointment for every Pakistani but it was not the end of the world.

India missed the 2012 London Olympics and now South Korea and Malaysia, who have lucrative budget for hockey, have also failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

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