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In a disheartening turn of events for Pakistan hockey, the men's team had to take out a loan to purchase air tickets for their trip to China to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy. The poor state of the sport comes into limelight after the nation celebrated team's success at Azlan Shah Cup where they won silver just couple of months back.
During a press briefing, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Tariq Bugti mentioned that funds are expected to arrive soon and appealed to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to introduce a dedicated financial package for hockey.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has pledged to reimburse the PHF for these expenses shortly. This comes after the PSB previously declined to fund a training camp for the Pakistan under-18 baseball team, which is scheduled to compete in the Asian Championships in Chinese Taipei this September, citing similar financial difficulties.
Pakistan’s hockey team, once considered a powerhouse with four World Cup titles and two Olympic gold medals, have witnessed significant decline. The team failed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking a low point in the history of Pakistani hockey.
Asian Champions Trophy Travel Woes
The team's financial hardships were further highlighted by their challenging journey to Hulunbuir City, China, where the Asian Champions Trophy is taking place. Following a cancelled flight from Beijing, the team had to endure a gruelling 300-kilometer road trip to reach their destination.
Pakistan playout draw against China in warmup match
Despite facing logistical obstacles, the team demonstrated resilience by securing a 4-4 draw in a warm-up match against China. For Pakistan Sufyan scored twice from penalty corners, along with contributions from Abdul Rahman and Emad Butt.
With warmup match done and dusted the team prepares to face competition from other top Asian hockey nations, including India, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia. The Asian Champions Trophy will be played from 8th to 17th September.
