‘Amount is an insult’: Pakistan hockey players hit out at PHF over PKR 1000 daily allowance

Pakistan’s Khan Muhammad celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 5/6 place hockey match between Pakistan and China at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai. (file photo/PTI) The Pakistan Hockey Federation is facing fresh criticism from players over unpaid dues and reduced allowances for training camps ahead of the men’s FIH World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium in August.The PHF interim management announced that players and officials of the national team will receive a daily allowance of US$110 during foreign tours.However, the players said their daily allowance during training camps was reduced from US$11 (Rs. 3,000) to US$3.5 (Rs. 1,000).According to a source close to the PHF, the senior players have asked the federation to clarify the amount they will get during the camp.Pakistan on Thursday announced a 20-man squad for next month’s FIH Pro League matches in Belgium and England, but did not announce a captain. The decision did not go well with the players.Shakeel Ammad Butt has been leading Pakistan since the beginning of last year.“They announced that we will get a daily allowance of US$110 for foreign tours, including the World Cup qualifiers we played in Egypt, but we will only believe it if we are not paid that amount,” said one player on condition of anonymity.He said PHF officials had made similar promises earlier but failed to fulfill them.“Right now we want to know if it is true that they will pay us only 1000 rupees (PKR) per day for the duration of the camp. This amount is an insult to the national players,” said another player.The third match of the FIH Pro League will be played from June 13 to 27, with Pakistan taking on Belgium, Spain, England and arch-rivals India.Pakistan will then participate in the FIH World Cup.Pakistan squad for FIH Pro League:Goalkeepers: Waqar Ali, Ali Raza.Defenders: Abu Bakar, Arbaz Ahmad, Mohammad Abdullah, Sufyan Khan.Midfielders: Nadeem Khan, Ammad Shakeel, Moin Shakeel, Hammad Anjum, Zakriya Hayat.Forward: Gjazanfar Ali, Mohammad Emmad, Rana Waleed, Afraz Khan, Rana Wahid, Abdur Rahman, Ahmad Nadeem, Arshad Liaquat, Hanan Shahid.

Do you support the announcement of a daily allowance of $110 for foreign tours?