Pakistan hockey team faces embarrassment in Australia over unpaid bills

Pakistan hockey players were left stranded in Canberra after their hotel bookings were cancelled due to unpaid bills by the Pakistan Hockey Federation. The team spent hours on the roads before being accommodated, adding to their struggles in the FIH Pro League

Karachi: The players of the Pakistan hockey team were forced to spend several hours on the road upon reaching Canberra, as their hotel bookings in the Australian capital were cancelled after the Pakistan Hockey Federation failed to pay the bill due to lack of funds.

They are in Australia for the second leg of the FIH Pro League event in Hobart.

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According to sources close to the team, the players and officials were left with no option but to “roam on the roads” before finding accommodation.

“Apparently the players and officials were booked in a four star hotel in Canberra and were told that the Pakistan Sports Board and Pakistan Hockey Federation had made all upfront payments for their stay in Canberra,” a source said on Thursday.

“But when they reached Canberra last week, they found no bookings for them at the designated hotel. The team’s head coach Tahir Zaman faced problems getting in touch with PSB and PHF officials back home because of the time difference,” he added.

“Tahir messaged them about the awkward situation the players were facing and had no place to stay and rest after a long journey from Lahore,” the source said.

The incident has been seen as a major source of embarrassment for Pakistan’s national sport, with the team struggling to compete against top ranked sides like Australia and Germany in the Hobart leg of the Pro League.

The source said that after waiting outside for several hours, the hotel management was eventually convinced and gave the players some rooms.

“Because of unavailability of required rooms the players and officials were accommodated in a lesser number of rooms than they were told. As a result two-three players occupied one room and next day they went straight to the ground to play their first match against Australia, which they lost 3-2,” the source said.

This is not the first time the Pakistan hockey players have faced such situations in recent past. During the first phase of the FIH Pro League held in Argentina, the players were not paid their daily allowances, putting them in a tight financial situation in a foreign country.

The team is without a manager in Canberra after the regular manager, former Olympian Anjum Saeed, was removed by the PHF and not sent with the team this time.

Anjum was removed after he was caught smoking on the flight while returning home and got into an altercation with airport security officials who held him back for a day, as the team resumed its onward journey to Dubai and Lahore.

Before the team left for Canberra, the PSB had increased the daily allowances to USD 115 for each player.

“Some local Pakistani people were contacted in Canberra who came to their rescue at the hotel after players spent time on the roads,” the source said.
Pakistan have so far lost all six of their matches in the Pro League.