In a major relief for international hockey, Pakistan’s men’s national team players have agreed to participate in the second leg of the FIH Hockey Men’s Pro-League following the resolution of a prolonged payment dispute. The standoff, which saw players boycott training camps for nearly two weeks, threatened to derail the team’s campaign but has now been averted.
According to reports emerging on Thursday, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Rana Mujahid met with the players in Islamabad and assured them of daily allowances of $114 (around 30,000 PKR) for the upcoming matches in Hobart, Australia next month. This comes after the Pakistan Sports Board released a substantial 25 crore PKR to PHF specifically for the Pro-League expenses.
The board had previously expressed dissatisfaction over mismanagement and unpaid dues during the first leg in December last year, issuing a directive for all outstanding payments to be cleared within a week. Sources told Telecom Asia Sport that while this agreement covers the second leg, no firm commitments were made on clearing older dues.
One player voiced frustration to the outlet, stating, ‘We did everything to save this tour, but PHF wouldn’t budge. Hockey is our livelihood, and this situation is deeply disappointing.’ He added that the Sports Board’s intervention finally brought assurances, hoping PHF honors its word to avoid issues in Australia.
Pakistan faces Australia on February 10 and 13, and Germany on February 11 and 14 in the second leg. The team earned its spot after New Zealand withdrew due to financial woes, despite securing second place in the FIH Nations Cup last year.
However, their first leg was dismal, losing all four matches: 7-3 and 5-2 to Netherlands, and 5-1 and 3-2 to Argentina. Once a powerhouse with four World Cup and three Olympic titles, Pakistan hasn’t qualified for the Olympics since 2012, underscoring the ongoing struggles both on and off the field.