“We cleaned utensils before playing…” Pakistan captain’s shocking revelation goes viral
Lahore (The Uttam Hindu): The recent tour of Pakistan hockey team to Australia has become the talk of the town more for the massive chaos and embarrassment it faced there than for its game. After returning home, the team's captain Shakeel Ammad Butt vented his anger at Lahore airport by leveling serious allegations against the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). Making a shocking revelation, the captain said that the players had to clean the kitchen themselves and even wash the utensils before important matches. The struggle of the Pakistani team, which once dominated world hockey, for basic facilities is raising many serious questions.
Despite funds, hotel bookings failed, players stranded on the streets
The Pakistani team faced numerous hardships during this crucial tour. The government body, the Pakistan Sports Board, confirmed that over 10 million Pakistani rupees were allocated for the team's accommodation. Despite this, the players endured a tedious wait of 13-14 hours at Sydney Airport. The embarrassment reached its peak when, upon arriving at the hotel just before the FIH Pro League matches, the players discovered they had no bookings because the federation had not made advance payments. The team was left wandering the streets for hours. Captain Butt also revealed that their Airbnb was booked for only 10 days, while the tour was supposed to last 13 days, forcing them to move to a cheaper accommodation.
'How can you win matches by washing dishes?', foreign coach demands
These adverse circumstances directly impacted the team's morale and performance. In the following day's matches, Pakistan lost to hosts Australia (2-3) and then Germany. Captain Butt expressed his disappointment to the media, asking, "What kind of impressive results can you expect from the players when they have to clean the kitchen and wash dishes before the match?" He described the current management as impossible to work with, saying that if Pakistan hockey is to be saved, a foreign coach and better administrative system are urgently needed. According to him, the team has no shortage of talent; it just needs the right direction.
The matter of embarrassment reached the Prime Minister, strict orders for investigation
The matter of this massive embarrassment in Australia has now reached the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Noor Us Sabah, Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board, has clarified that a detailed report on the entire incident will be submitted to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Sharif, who is also the Patron-in-Chief of the PHF, has ordered a strict investigation given the seriousness of the matter. Captain Butt also made the sensational allegation that the players were warned not to speak to the media, but they broke their silence because the treatment they received in Australia was completely unacceptable to the players.