ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Monday reacted strongly to Indian skipper Sardar Singh’s controversial statement on the 2014 Champions Trophy incident, asking the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) under which capacity their skipper had given such an immature and unethical statement.

Sardar in a recent statement to media asked the Pakistan players to apologise for the incident that took place during the Champions Trophy held in the Indian city of Bhubaneswar in December 2014.

Two Pakistan players — Mohammad Tousiq and Ali Amjad -- were handed a one-match ban while team-mate Shafqat Rasool was reprimanded by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for making obscene gestures after their team’s 4-3 win over India in the semi-final of the 2014 Champions Trophy.

The undesirable incident was very much closed when Shahnaz Sheikh, then Pakistan head coach, during the event expressed apology for the undesirable development.

However, the uncalled for statement coming from Sardar has stirred up the controversy again.

The Indian skipper, according to the reports, said Pakistan players were suffering for what they did during the event, and reckoned they shouldn’t be allowed to participate in the Hockey India League (HIL).

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, reacting to the Indian captain’s word, said a statement like this from Sardar was absolutely inappropriate and highly condemnable.

“It is not a player’s prerogative to issue statements like this against players of [any] other country,” Shahbaz maintained.

Shahbaz further said that more than a year had passed since the 2014 Champions Trophy incident, adding now Sardar was recalling that which did not make any sense.

“Sardar has completely lost it and such attitude is against the sportsman spirit,” reckoned Shahbaz.

In reaction to the Bhubaneswar incident, he said, the FIH had suspended the Pakistan players, so now there was no need of this sort of statement from Sardar again.

“I am surprised why the IHF has taken so much time in taking any notice of Sardar’s statement,” wondered Shahbaz.

Shahbaz said if the IHF did not take any action in this regard it would imply that they themselves were exaggerating the matter.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2016