LAHORE - The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) fact finding committee, which was formed to probe the team's dismal show in the Olympic qualifiers in Belgium, Wednesday submitted its report.
The committee has pinpointed lack of team's preparation for the tournament, paucity of funds, team management and selection committee’s decisions on team selection, players under-strength performance, absence of allied staff including trainer and physiotherapist with the team are the key factors which let the team down.
The fact finding report said that a number of reasons were responsible for team's pathetic show. The committee also put up its recommendations for lifting the hockey out of present gloom. According to the report, the team management failed to chalk out a plan to motivate the players to live up to the expectations besides the selectors failed to come up with a winning combination despite their tall claims before the participation of team in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
"Fitness level of the players was quite alarming as a good number of players out of playing XI sustained injuries during the training camp for the buildup of the team at Islamabad,” said the report.
Absence of qualified training staff including a trainer and physiotherapist added up to the fitness problems of the players, who needed regular physical care to regain top fitness after recovering from injuries sustained during the training camp.
"The other participating teams of the tournament were well prepared as compare to the Pakistani team which could not get ample opportunity to undertake foreign tours to prepare on solid lines and to expose its players to high profile experience,” the report said and added: "This was due to PHF's empty kitty as necessary funds were not available to arrange the team’s tour to abroad or their participation in hockey tournaments in Europe.”
The report maintained that the team players had a shameful confession before the members of the fact-finding committee that they failed to rise to the occasion due to lack of form and fitness which contributed to team’s overall downfall.
The committee in its report has recommended that a rare guard action is needed to revive the sagging fortune of the game. "Greater steps are needed to be taken at grassroots level to tape fresh talent and to organise the game on modern lines besides broadening its base.”
It has also recommended that a foreign-qualified trainers and allied staff be deputed with the team to ensure top fitness level of the players. The government immediate attention is also needed to promote the game which is only possible when adequate funds are available with the PHF, said one of the recommendation.