In response to the players’ bold stand and the mounting public outcry, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and government authorities have begun the process of identifying and appointing new management for the national hockey team
Sports Desk/DNA
LAHORE: The Pakistan national hockey team returned home amid a deepening crisis on February 17, 2026, after an explosive airport press conference in Lahore where captain Ammad Shakeel Butt and several players publicly lambasted the team’s management and the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) over severe mismanagement during their recent FIH Pro League tour in Australia.
Upon arrival, the players detailed a series of humiliating experiences, including being forced to wait 13-14 hours at Sydney airport without proper arrangements for onward travel or meals, followed by the cancellation of their hotel bookings in Canberra due to unpaid bills by the PHF.
They described substandard accommodation, inadequate food, and a lack of basic facilities, with the team left to cook, clean, and manage independently in what they called a nightmare tour marked by financial discrepancies and apparent neglect.
Tensions escalated when Captain Ammad Shakeel Butt declared that the players categorically refuse to work with the current team management, coaching staff, manager, administrative personnel, video analyst, or any related officials until a full, transparent, and independent investigation addresses the allegations.
He emphasized that trust in the existing setup has completely broken down, rejecting any claims of external pressure and insisting the grievances stem from real mistreatment and lies told to the squad.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny on financial accountability, as the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has confirmed releasing substantial funds—including over 10 million rupees specifically for hotel accommodations—while conflicting accounts from the PHF have raised serious questions about transparency, fund misuse, and possible attempts to solicit additional contributions from the Pakistani community in Australia despite prior allocations.
In response to the players’ bold stand and the mounting public outcry, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and government authorities have begun the process of identifying and appointing new management for the national hockey team.
Sources indicate that a revamped administrative and coaching structure is likely to be finalized and put in place before the critical FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifying Round in Ismailia, Egypt, running from March 1 to 7, 2026.
Pakistan, drawn in Pool B alongside Malaysia, China, and Austria, faces a tough path to secure one of the limited qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, making stability and player confidence essential in the coming weeks.
The episode has drawn widespread condemnation from hockey legends and fans alike, who describe the treatment as shameful and painful for a nation once dominant in the sport. Calls for immediate reforms continue, including the imposition of an ad-hoc committee on the PHF, formation of an impartial inquiry committee, a comprehensive audit of tour funds and expenditures, accountability for those responsible through legal action, and the establishment of a transparent system for managing future international tours to prevent such humiliations.
Pakistan hockey, a historic source of national pride, now stands at a crossroads where urgent changes are needed to restore dignity to the players and revive the sport’s global standing.
