Pakistan Hockey Federation Chief Resigns After Banning Skipper Butt For Criticism of PHF

Karachi: The crisis in Pakistan hockey deepened on Thursday as the national federation's President Tariq Bugti resigned in the aftermath of the mismanagement that left players on the streets during a recent tour of Australia but not before imposing a two-year ban on skipper Ammad Shakeel Butt for his criticism of the PHF. Bugti said he has sent his resignation to the patron-in-chief of the federation, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"I have sent my resignation letter to the PM but I urge him and Field Marshal Asim Munir to conduct an impartial inquiry into the whole situation which took place in Austrlaia during the FIH Pro League hockey," he said.

Bugti said that one of his final acts as President was "to impose a two-year ban on the national team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt from domestic and international hockey for bringing Pakistan hockey into disrepute."

Butt had lambasted the PHF in Lahore on Wednesday, stating that players were forced "to clean the kitchen and wash dishes" before going out to compete during the tour in which the side lost all its matches of the FIH Pro League against the home team and Germany.

This was after they spent hours on the road after the hotel earmarked for them declined them entry for lack of an advance payment by the PHF, despite the body getting the requisite funds from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).

After returning to the country, at least nine players led by Butt demanded the removal of the team management and the current PHF leadership.

Butt also alleged that a majority of the players were yet to get their daily allowances from the PSB and PHF for the last one year.

Bugti shifted the blame for the fiasco on PSB, insisting that that the Board handled all the arrangements for the tour and was "responsible for whatever happened there".

But when asked about a cheque of one million rupees that the PSB had sent to the PHF to cover the hotel accommodation expenses, he did not offer a clear response.

In another development, the team's head caoch, Tahir Zaman said he was ready to step down.

He accused the players of being indisciplined and alleged that the captain "freely used abusive language against others which in turn affected the performance of the team."

Pakistan have to travel to Egypt after four months to take part in the final qualifying tournament for the World Cup.