Jay Shah’s 2036 Olympics plan for India: ‘8 medals won’t cut it’
Speaking to reporters at the Lahore airport early this morning, the Pakistan Hockey Federation lied to them and “enough is enough”.“We cannot cooperate with this current management of the federation. When the players have to clean the kitchen and wash the dishes before the match, what result do you expect from us?” Butt asked furiously.Butt said the players faced serious problems during the trip. He alleged that the federation did not properly provide accommodation for the team. He said the players had to wait 13 to 14 hours at Sydney airport before flying to Canberra.When the team arrived at their hotel, they were told that no advance payment had been made, so there were no confirmed reservations. Players had to wait hours and even walk the streets before securing a place to stay. Pakistan lost 2–3 to Australia in their first FIH Pro League match and lost all their matches during the Australian leg, including the games against Australia and Germany.Butt said the situation was embarrassing and affected the team’s performance. “The unfortunate thing was that even the accommodation through Airbnb was arranged for 10 days when we had to stay for 13 days. After 10 days we had to move to a cheaper residence,” Butt said.The Pakistan Sports Council said it had given the federation more than 10 million rupees for hotel arrangements. Its CEO Noor us Sabah said a detailed report was being prepared for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who ordered an investigation into the matter.Sharif is the main patron of PHF.Butt also revealed that the players had been warned not to speak to the media. “I’m talking because of what we went through in Australia,” he said.“If we are to move forward, we need a foreign coach. We have a good combination of players, but we need a foreign coach and good management,” he added.