Former hockey players Shahnaz Shaikh (L) and Samiullah (R). —AFP/File Photo

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Academy is hoax, a disgruntled Samiullah has said.

“Millions of rupees invested in PHF Academy for years and yet it has failed to win even a single match in ongoing National Hockey Championship,” the former Olympian said in an interview with PPI.

“It is far from the nursery for junior players as had been claimed by the PHF. It will not provide any players to the senior side as is evident in the National Championship. There is a big gap.”

He added that it was time the federation admitted its shortcomings and worked on the betterment of the sport rather than making false claims.

“The national academy team should have enough potential to at least pull few victories in national championship. But they lost all of its nine matches in the tournament, which shows that the federation has failed in its expensive project. It needs to stop pretending,” he said.

On the issue of the legal battle between the federation and 13 former Olympians, he said the federation had now become sluggish in its claims.

Samiullah is also among those who were sent notices by the federation for allegedly defaming the federation with claims of human-trafficking.

“They have done nothing even after many weeks have passed since we responded to their notices. At least officials of the federation would now be a little more cautious and would discontinue their activity of human-trafficking because of our efforts,” he added.

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