LAHORE: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has offered the post of Talent Hunt Programme’s chairman to former celebrated Olympian Samiullah.

The Olympian has however turned down the offer.

The PHF issued a brief press release here on Tuesday, appointing Samiullah as chairman of the Talent Hunt Programme.

But, when contacted, Samiullah expressed his surprise over the offer and said: “No such offer was ever made to me officially. I haven’t met any PHF official since last six months and we have not had any discussion over phone, so, the offer is a surprise for me.

“Yes, I am a blunt supporter of the Talent Hunt Programme and I have been advising the PHF since last six months to start it but the PHF did nothing in this regard,” he added.

“Pakistan is already trailing at the 14th place in the world rankings and the game is losing its appeal in the country. Yet, the PHF is making mockery of the affairs by offering the post to me through the media and I am not interested to work with this PHF,” said Samiullah aka Flying Horse.

“I received a copy of a letter of the PHF about six days ago in which another ex-Olympian Islahuddin was offered the post of coordinator for the Talent Hunt Programme,” he said.

“I just want the PHF to do its work fairly for betterment of the game and they will always have our support,” he added.

When contacted, PHF president retired Brig Sajjad Khokhar said he had put the ball in Samiullah’s court as the latter had shown great interest in the Talent Hunt Programme while discussing hockey affairs on a TV show.

“So, I offered him the post at my own without holding any meeting with him. He should come and join us if he has any plans,” the PHF president said.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2017