LAHORE, Feb 21: Former Olympian, Manzoor Husain Atif, has announced his retirement from hockey management but will establish coaching academies at Karachi and Lahore.

Ending a 50 year long career of national and international hockey, Atif called it a day Thursday saying that he has taken the decision with a great sense of achievement.

“As a player, manager of the national team, secretary of  the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Rules Board and the vice-president of the FIH, I have achieved everything a player can aspire for”, said Atif.

Atif started his international career by playing in the Helsinki Olympic hockey tournament in 1952.

He said that he had informed about his decision to the PHF, who would get enough time to nominate its candidates for offices of the FIH for the elections to be held in  November this year.

The former PHF official said that he would continue as the  president of  the FIH Rules Board till his tenure expires in November this  year.

 Atif said the main objectives of the academies would be to spot and groom talented players.

 He said that he was the first hockey player to be honoured with the Olympic Order, awarded by the by  the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1994.

Meanwhile, the benefit hockey match of the Olympian Col (retd.) Zafar Ali Khan Zafri will be held at Lahore on April 21.