LAHORE: In what seems to be another major blow to the national game, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Saturday decided not to take part in this year’s Champions Trophy to be staged in England in June.

The move is another significant setback for Pakistan, who for the first time in its history will not be playing in the 2016 Olympic hockey event after failing to qualify for it.

The incumbent PHF management, which took charge in August last year, should have by now raised a national team which could feature in June’s Champions Trophy, one of the toughest events in world hockey.

But the federation after having failed to do so, perhaps has some other plans. It is also yet to announce a clear, comprehensive policy for regaining Pakistan’s glory in world hockey.

PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed Senior told reporters that it would be better not to take part in the Champions Trophy, saying the federation was aiming to prepare a strong team for the 2018 World Cup.

Interestingly, the PHF has decided to participate in next month’s Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia, and has set up a training camp in Lahore for the said contest. But for the Champions Trophy it did not follow the same approach.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2016