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The kids that grew grey once considered Pakistan as the powerhouse of hockey. The history encrypted, however, contradicts the present scenario. The hard-earned bronze medal in the Asian Hockey Championship can somehow act as a consolation for the Pakistan Men’s Hockey team. But, the “reward” from the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) raised eyebrows- just USD 100 to each player! The amount calculates around RS 8300, and just 28,000 in Pakistan’s currency!
Pakistan and its financial struggles are nothing too new. But the once glorified sport receiving such a reward has raised various questions, including PHF’s (Pakistan Hockey Federation) approach towards the future.
Pakistan Hockey Team- A “Golden Era” Overshadowed by Present Struggles
Once tagged as the “King of Grass”, the country has three Olympic golds and four World Cup titles in its bag. The team once dominated the sport in the Asian circumference, alongside India. Pakistan Hockey team has produced legends like goalkeeper Mansoor Ahmed, who captained Pakistan to a World Cup victory in 1994. It had Brigadier Abdul Hamid, who scored Pakistan's first-ever Olympic goal in 1948, immortalized in the country’s sports history.
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However, the tables trembled in the 1980s. Artificial watered turfs started replacing the grass courts. The “King of Grass” struggled to adapt to the newly given conditions and the dynamics of the game. Currently, a struggling Pakistan Hockey Team has hit rock bottom.
They touched the 30th block in the FIH standing- their lowest-ever rank. However, the ACT Bronze medal has pushed them five blocks upward- to the 15th rank. The road to regaining the past glory seems steep, but is it impossible? Question prevails!
Financial Woes and Federation Mismanagement
At the heart of Pakistan's hockey decline is financial instability. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has faced multiple allegations that includes mismanagement and the misuse of government funds. Moreover, complaints from different corners do come, regarding involvement of senior “legends” of Pakistan Hockey Team. Them, as complained, often resisted to the idea of employing foreign coaches. However, when seniors got the responsibility, they failed miserably too, as coaches.
Speaking of foreign coaches, they need a longer spell to get adapted to the situations. They need ample time to get under the nerves and train the player- to detect the pros and cons and work on them. But the financial condition of PHF has prevented the longevity of such coaching tenures.
Situations turned this worse that board started hiring event- based coaches. Notably, former coach Roelant Oltmans, who accompanied the Pakistan Hockey team to Poland for the Nation’s Cup, had to leave midway through his tenure due to unpaid fees.
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PSB ignorance being the main cause, PHF complains
Criticisms came on the way, with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) being apathetic to the Pakistan Hockey Federation. The Imran Khan tenure has seen PSB providing the lowest grants. A lot of government federations depends solely on PSB grants for their curriculum. PSB, however, published a report where it said that an amount of 1000 million rupees has been allotted for different federations including PHF.
The 2019/2020 Fiscal year, PSB distributed only 25 million rupees. Its aim was to set up training camps and to support participation in international and national events. The 2020/21 fiscal year had its amount increased to 42 million rupees. The PSB has notably raised its funding over the past two fiscal years. That includes 2023/24, allocating a total expenditure of around 920 million rupees to federations.
PSB, over the past five years, has given PHF only 103 million rupees in grants. On the contrary, the athletics federation received over 100 million rupees, for the sake of Arshad Nadeem's Olympic preparations. The disparity is glaring, especially considering hockey's status as Pakistan's national sport.
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A New Coach, Old Problems
Pakistan’s other major problem is exposure. The financial drawbacks have limited the international tours for the team. The last time Pakistan Men’s Hockey Team had a tour, was for the Nations Cup at Netherlands and Poland. It was a qualification for the pro league. Pakistan there finished fourth, behind New Zealand, France, South Africa.
With Oltman’s departure, Tahir Zaman, stepped in as head coach just before the Asian Champions Trophy. He, with over 20 years of coaching experience, has acknowledged the deep-rooted challenges, is cautiously optimistic.
He aims to push for a Pakistan Hockey League to nurture young talent and provide players with much-needed exposure. But even Zaman admits that reviving Pakistan hockey will be a long process.
The Asian Championship Trophy bronze somehow looks like a slight consolation to the overall struggling team. Even though it offered a glimmer of hope, the announcement of a meagre USD 100 reward for each player has sparked widespread outrage. Placing it by the side of Hockey India awarded ₹3 lakh (around USD 3,600) to each of its players, Pakistan Hockey team looks awfully dull. and this absolutely not a welcoming sign for any hockey enthusiast around the world.
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Financial Hardships and Desertion
The financial challenges facing Pakistan's hockey players are not only demoralizing but are also driving them to desperate measures. Earlier this year, In August, three players—Murtaza Yakoob, Ihtesham Aslam, and Abdur Rahman—along with physiotherapist Waqas, escaped from a training camp in Poland during the Nations Cup.
It was the pre-Asian Champions trophy training cup, when they were summoned, they informed of them not being available due to personal issues. However, later it became clear that they fled away seeking asylum in Europe. PHF subsequently banned them for life.
PHF secretary general Rana Mujahid feared that this escape may create complications in getting visa for any tour in Europe. With the present complications in the financial conditions, this move wasn't apt for the team, according to Rana.
However, many doubts this move by the players and the physio was a result of delays in PHF doing delays in travel and other allowances.
When Mujahid blames the players, the critiques blamed the financial coundidion of the boards for the athletes to choose this desperation.
The Future Calls: Will Hockey Survive?
The present day situation of the Pakistan Hockey team has divided the fans in two groups. One believes the team has been burried. However, the other one is optimistic, byt to a certain level, believing this phase to be the "ventilator" ohase.
The only head to believe Pakistan Hockey team as the Phoenix shortly is its present coach, Tahir Zaman, the 55-year-old with almost 20 years of experience, who still believes his boys can regain the glory. He has his plan already set in his mind, where nourishing the domestic hockey comes first.
Asian Champions Trophy is not a so called important trophy in the Hockey arena. But a bronze medal in this struggling situation, should be enough to draw attention for the betterement. But again, the idiocy PSB showed, by giving the miminimal value to the medal, questions the future of the Hockey.
Is it actually having a bright future, with the "new generation?" Will the Pakistani kids choose emotion and past glories over wages while opting for national hockey? The answer is unknown for an eternity!
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