LAHORE

Former hockey players Shahnaz Shaikh (L) and Samiullah (R) have mounted pressure on the PHF chief. —AFP/File Photo

In a joint statement, Olympians Shahnaz Sheikh, Samiullah, Shahbaz Senior and Saleem Nazam said Qasim, being the PHF president, should show respect to their (Olympians) point of view.

“We Olympians, like other Pakistanis, want revival of the game and our criticism should be taken in a positive way.

“The PHF president should accept the reality that our hockey witnessed slump in 2010. The results of this year speak the truth by itself,” they said.

“This year, our team remained fifth among six teams at the Azlan Shah Cup, finished at the rock-bottom of 12 in the World Cup and now in the Commonwealth Games, it ended at the sixth place despite finishing second in the last edition,” they said.

The Olympians appealed to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to order an inquiry into the decline of the game despite funding by the government.

They rejected Qasim's stance that Pakistan's pool was tough.

“Pakistan are a better side than India, Scotland and Malaysia. Only Australia were stronger than our side,” they said.

“It is unwise to consider India stronger on the home soil. The proof is their defeat against the Australians in the final,” they added.

“Pakistan should have qualified for the semi-finals, but they failed because of bad tactics and defensive play,” they opined.

They added Pakistan's Dutch coach Michel van den Heuvel and chief selector Hanif Khan gave contradictory statements before the team's departure to India.

Hanif had claimed the team would reach the podium but the Dutch coach expressed no hope for a medal.

“The morale of the players was not high at the time of departure due to such contradicting statements of the high-ups,” they said.

“If the PHF continues the same strategy, the nation should prepare itself for another disaster in the Asian Games (in November),” they said.

They said Haseem Khan, the nephew of chief selector, as centre-forward, could not score a single goal in the tournament.

He said Qasim had also failed to give job protection to the players despite the fact he belonged to the ruling political party.

“It is the duty of Qasim Zia to get job protection for his players by convincing the prime minister,” they added.

They said Qasim endorsed the views of Australian coach Charlesworth but he was not ready to lend his ears to his own country's stalwarts.

They stressed that only attacking play and advanced training of the players could revive the game in the country.