Pakistan Rupee Exchange Rate
In a grim reminder of the plight of Pakistan’s national sport, President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation Tariq Bugti has revealed that the Pakistan Hockey Team had to travel to China for the Asian Champions Trophy on tickets which were bought on credit.
The team, at one time, was termed a world hockey powerhouse. But now, they find themselves grappling with huge financial constraints.
He said during a conversation with media persons at a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday that the PHF was compelled to buy the tickets with the advance on loans because money was not available from any direction. He informed that funds would be issued within short span of time and requested the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to also issue financial package for the hockey team, which is under tremendous pressure financially.
Bugti lamented that hockey had been facing continued total neglect in Pakistan, where the sport is supposed to be a national game, and reiterated that it could fall by the wayside if it is not given more recognition and support, appropriate funding, and administrative control.
The PHF president also spoke about the challenges underway in the federation while vowing to clamp down on those trying to establish parallel hockey federations. He further said that by the end of the month, the PHF would regain authority and control over the Edhi Hockey Stadium, and a federation office would be established over there which would help do away with some of the administrative problems that Pakistan hockey has been facing over the years.
In other reflections, this is not the plight that is entirely lost on sports journalists and fans. On social media, following the dismal saga of the Kenyan hockey team, sports journalist Ruha Nadeem pointed to the ironic financial crisis that has hit the team just months after celebrating one of their biggest career achievements: landing a first runners-up finish at the Azlan Shah Cup.
To add to the financial woes, the Free Press Journal reports that the PSB has assured the reimbursement of the expenditure to PHF. In another recent development, the PSB disallowed permission to spend on training for the U-18 baseball team that will participate in the Asian Championship in Chinese Taipei.
The problems for the Pakistan hockey team are not restricted to the money issues. With four World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals, this team did not show up for the Paris 2024 two Olympic games. The reported sport website In Side Support said that all the misfortunes of the team came out when its next flight out of Beijing got cancelled and now they had to travel 300 kilometres via road to reach their venue of the match. Despite all odds, the team could manage a 4-4 contest in one of two build-up matches against China.
The Asian Champions Trophy, which is starting from September 8 to September 17 in China, has the participation of six teams from across the Asia that includes Pakistan, India, and China trying their best to end on top. With the upcoming mega event, the Pakistan hockey team is again up for the testing times both on and off the ground.
