27-Dec-2011
The News
Our Correspondent
KARACHI: Hockey rebels in Pakistan will be banned for up to five years for participating in unsanctioned tournaments, the game’s governing body in the country warned on Monday.
During meetings of its Executive Board and Congress in Lahore, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) made it clear that there will be no mercy for players featuring in international or domestic leagues without the permission of the federation.
“We have decided to sanction a penalty of up to five years for any players taking part in unsanctioned tournament,” Qasim Zia, the PHF president, told ‘The News’. “The decision was taken after standing instructions from the International Hockey Federation (FIH),” he added.
The ruling is directly aimed at the rebel World Series Hockey which is to be hosted by a parallel hockey body in India. The multi-million-dollar league to be staged by the Indian Hockey federation (IHF) had to be postponed after Hockey India — the body recognised by FIH — warned Indian players of dire consequences if they took part in the event.
A number of leading Pakistani players had also signed up to play in the league which is now supposed to be played at various centres in India in February next year.
Qasim, a former Olympian, said that the FIH has instructed all its member nations to include clauses in regulations regarding unsanctioned tournaments. “As the governing body of hockey in the world, the FIH wants its member federations to only allow its players to feature in sanctioned tournaments,” said Qasim.
The PHF boss said that any players defying the rules will be banned from both international and domestic assignments. “If a player is banned by the PHF then he will not just be blacklisted for national duty but also be barred from playing for his departments in domestic tournaments,” he said. |
