LAHORE, May 12: Pakistan senior hockey team skipper, Mohammad Nadeem reported to the training camp on Monday to appear in the two-day trials to select Pakistan team for the forthcoming tour of Australia. However Nadeem was not allowed to participate in the trials by the PHF as a decision on his unauthorized absence will be taken on Tuesday.
Nadeem, with three other players, Sohail Abbas, Muhammad Wasim and Aamir Saleem had gone abroad without taking permission from the PHF to play hockey for league clubs in Germany.
“Nadeem will be heard on Tuesday and then a decision will be taken whether to allow him for the trials or not”, president PHF Lt Gen Mohammad Aziz Khan told journalists after watching the trials at the National Hockey Stadium with the entire national selection committee, headed by former Olympian Akhtar Rasool Chaudhary.
In reply to a question, the PHF chief stated that the case of Nadeem and three other missing players would be considered as a matter of indiscipline and would be treated accordingly.
“Of course, it is an act of indiscipline on part of the players and there are no two options. We will hear the case in that context”, added PHF chief.
The general declined to comment on Nadeem’s fate and listened to the views of the journalists.
Gen Aziz admitted that Nadeem, being a senior player, and captain should serve as a role model to others. But he added, all merits and demerits of the case would be considered in the case. He declared that justice should be for all.
He said that the team would be announced on Tuesday after concluding of the two-day trials and the name of the new manager to replace Shahid Jaffery who died on Saturday would also be announced the same time.
According to information gathered by Dawn, Nadeem finally decided to return due to pressure from his employers, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP).
He was instructed either to return or send in his resignation, although Nadeem had gone to Germany with the bank’s approval.
Meanwhile, Nadeem’s case will be a test case for the federation. On one hand, he may be let off lightly with some punitive action such as removal as captain, which will only encourage others like Sohail and Waseem, while on the other, if severe disciplinary action is taken against him, it will while proving that the PHF is sincere in enforcing discipline at all costs, create difficulties in preparing a strong outfit for the Champions Trophy to be held in Holland in August this year.
Besides the two tournaments to be held in Australia from May 29 to June 8, there is no other international activity available with the PHF to test the strength and weaknesses of the team before the Champions Trophy.
APP adds: Nadeem said he made one of the biggest blunders of his life when he went to Germany to play in league without the consent of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF).
“It was a big mistake. But I have come back and reported to camp after realising it,” he said at the National Hockey Stadium where the two-day trials began to select 18-member team for the tour of Australia.