Bhubaneswar: Two Pakistan hockey players were suspended and one was reprimanded for making obscene gestures after their team’s semifinal win over India in the Champions Trophy, the sport’s governing body said on Sunday.Muhammad Tousiq and reserve goalkeeper Ali Amjad were handed a one-match ban that sidelined them from the final of the eight-nation tournament against Germany.
Shafqat Rasool was reprimanded for the same offence, the International Hockey Federation announced after conducting a hearing with Pakistan coach Shahnaz Sheikh and the players earlier in the day.“The above-mentioned players were seen making gestures that are considered to be obscene,” the FIH said in a statement without elaborating. The body had earlier cleared Pakistan of any wrongdoing.
As the final hooter sounded in Saturday night’s 4-3 thriller, excited Pakistan players took off their shirts and made rude gestures towards Indian fans at the packed Kalinga Stadium.
Shahnaz, a former international, also walked out of the post-match press conference in a huff after Indian reporters persisted in asking questions about his players’ behaviour after the game.
Tournament director Wiert Doyer, who investigated the incident soon after the match, had let the players off without any action after Shahnaz apologised for their actions.
The FIH U-turn on Sunday came a few hours after Hockey India chief Narinder Batra demanded an unconditional apology from Pakistan and called for strict action by the governing body.
Batra also threatened to severe all ties with the Pakistan Hockey Fede-ration unless they issued an unconditional apology. In a separate statement released by the FIH on Sunday, Shahnaz issued a fresh apology on behalf of PHF.
