LAHORE, Oct 28: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Sports will try to play arbitration role between the former hockey Olympians and the current management of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) at a meeting scheduled to be held in Islamabad on Friday.

“The tussle between the former great Olympians and the PHF officials is not beneficial for the national hockey and it is also giving a very negative impression to our youngsters,” chairman NA committee Iqbal Mohammad Ali told Dawn. “Therefore, we will try our best to resolve the issues between the two parties.”

Iqbal admitted that his committee should have taken an early action soon after the World Cup debacle to avoid another disaster result in the Commonwealth Games.

“The committee remained busy in discussing other matters such as the blunders of the PCB, but it will now advise the hockey stalwarts and the PHF officials to think for the improvement of the national game and to table suggestions for its improvement,” he said.

From the PHF its president Qasim Zia, secretary Asif Bajwa, former Olympian Akhtar Rasool and chief selector Hanif Khan will appear before the committee to defend their performance. Among the Olympians, Shahnaz Sheikh, Islahuddin, Samiullah Khan and Shahbaz Senior will attend the session.

Meanwhile, former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh said on Thursday that it was the right of the Olympians to criticise the wrong decisions of the PHF and to voice concern on team’s poor performances at international level. “If the PHF wants us to keep silent, they have to pay the price for that in shape of gold medal in the upcoming Asian Games,” he said.

“Though the Asian Games is a B-grade competition and the PHF should have targeted target the last World Cup, but even a gold in the Asiad could restore the prestige of the country in the world of hockey,” he said.