Pakistan hockey captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has made an explosive claim about the Australia tour fiasco, saying he lied about the team’s conditions when India’s name was mentioned. The Pakistan team traveled to Australia for the second leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League but were forced to wander the streets of Sydney for hours with their luggage. This was due to the fact that the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had not paid the bills of the hotel where the team was supposed to stay and the bookings were cancelled.
The team lost all the four matches they played in Australia and arrived in Lahore on Wednesday morning to no one from the PHF to welcome them. Butt revealed to reporters that the ordeal they had to undergo was humiliating and they were not even given food on time.
The Pakistan captain then revealed that the team management had told them about the news that had reached India, prompting him to release a video that all was well in Australia. However, he said that the reports and videos that came from Australia were true.
“If I’m going to talk about touring Australia, I’ll start with flights and hotel arrangements. After landing in Sydney, we were forced to wander around Opera Street like helpless people for 12 to 15 hours. No one was responsible for our team. No hotel was arranged for us and we didn’t get food on time.”
“We then traveled from Sydney to Hobart. First of all, let me make it clear that any reports that reached Pakistan are completely true. The videos sent by my team and me were real. However, our team management told us that the matter had reached India. When India was mentioned, I personally felt that it was about my country and my country should not be slandered. So I made a video saying that everything was fine and in there were no unfair reports to the team. all the videos and reports that came out are true,” Butt said.
“THE BOYS HAD TO DO THEIR DAY JOBS”
Butt said he was proud of his team’s performance during the tour as his players were forced to fend for themselves due to a lack of proper precautions.
“Guys wake up and make their own breakfast. They wash the dishes for two to three hours. They clean their own bedrooms and toilets. We don’t have any proper time to rest. The players have been mentally disturbed. How can we perform for Pakistan under such conditions?” Butt said.
The Pakistan captain said they had spoken to the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), who told them that the PHF had received funds for the tour. However, he claimed that the team management lied to them that they had not released the money.
“I don’t know whether the Sports Council is to blame or the Pakistan Hockey Federation. But one thing is for sure — our team management has repeatedly lied to us,” Butt said.
“You asked who is responsible for bad arrangements, bad accommodation and bad food. I am responsible for the team management. But I want to clarify that the hockey federation is also to blame. However, we do not communicate with the federation directly, we communicate through the team management. Sheikh Usman and Shehzaman made several claims against us, but these statements were baseless and false.”
PAKISTAN HOCKEY IN THE SHED
The Australian fiasco is the latest chapter in the turmoil Pakistan’s hockey has faced in recent months. During the first phase of the Pro League in Argentina, players have filed complaints about unpaid feeswho threatened a boycott.
The team is currently without a manager Olympian Anjum Saeed was disqualified for indiscipline after smoking on the plane.
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Published on:
February 18, 2026