KARACHI, April 20: Pakistan’s Feroze Khan, the world’s oldest Olympic medal winner, passed away peacefully here on Wednesday evening. The former inside-right, who was a member of the Indian hockey team which won the 1928 Olympic Games gold medal in Amsterdam, had celebrated his 100th birthday on Sept 9, 2004.
“I am proud to be 100 and am going great. This is ample proof of the fact that discipline and individuals with sporting habits can live longer,” Feroze had said on his last birthday.
Feroze became the oldest living Olympic champion after the United States’ James Rockefeller died last year. Rockefeller had won a gold medal in rowing in the 1924 Paris Olympics and according to International Olympic Committee records was the oldest living Olympian, with Feroze occupying the second spot.
Born in Jalandhar, India, Feroze started playing hockey using a tree branch. He later became a member of the 1928 Olympic squad.
He has left behind two sons and two daughters to mourn his death. His funeral prayers will be held after Zuhar prayers on Thursday.
Former hockey stalwarts expressed sorrow over Feroze’s death, saying it was a great loss for Pakistan.
“Although he played only for India, Mr Feroze was instrumental in Pakistan hockey team’s victories in Olympics, Asian Games and other mega events. He was a fine selector and it was his contribution as a selector that we won Olympic and Asian Games golds,” said former captain Brig Abdul Hameed under whom Pakistan won 1960 Olympic gold in Rome.
Hameed, also a former Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary, showered praises on the former Olympian, saying that as a player and selector he was a source of inspiration. “While he was a key Indian team player and a contemporary of legendary Dhayan Chand , he was equally impressive as a selector.”
“It’s sad that we have lost such a personality,” said Hameed who also played as
an inside-right and represented Pakistan from 1948 to 1960.
Anwar Ahmad Khan, another Pakistan captain, felt Pakistan had lost a brilliant hockey personality who had contributed a lot to sport in the country after independence in 1947.
“I am deeply saddened by his death. Mr Feroze of Bombay Customs and Shaukat Ali of Calcutta Customs were perhaps the only Muslims in the 1928 Indian hockey squad that cinched the gold. He was a fine selector and our mentor.”
According to Anwar, who played for Pakistan from 1956 to 1966, Feroze was born in the Pathanoon ki Bastian in Jalandhar and played for Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh University and Bombay Customs.
He added Feroze was in the group of Bombay and Calcutta Customs officers who formed the Pakistan Customs side in 1955 that produced several stars including Anwar.
Former skippers Islahuddin Siddiqui and Hanif Khan, who also belong to Pakistan Customs, expressed grief, saying the country had lost a great sporstman.
