PHF has strong legal case amid uncertainty

ISLAMABAD: Following federation officials’ de-notification by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) a few days back, confusion persists over the future of the national game of hockey .

With the Commonwealth Games just around the corner, there is no certainty that the national team could go on to compete in the event without Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) recommendations. Though the capital is buzzing with rumours of imposing Ad hoc on the PHF, the fact of the matter is that PHF sitting officials-president Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and secretary Asif Bajwa have a strong legal case for getting a stay considering that no other federation has been de-notified by the PSB on similar charges.

Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) elections were due in October 2021, yet they are being looked after well by the government even after the expiry of their tenures of almost nine months. The AFP President is a member of the PSB Board and an important part of the decision-making process.

Similarly, Ju-Jitsu Federation elections were due in January 2022 and Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) was supposed to conduct elections in December 2021. Yet, they receive no such de-notification letters from the PSB. Then the question arises why the hockey federation has been singled out?

The PHF election starting date is May 15, 2022, and the federation has a three-month time to conduct elections. Yet they were not allowed to wait for the expiry of the date as a de-notification letter was issued.

PHF President Brig Khokhar has already hinted at pursuing a legal course of action to solve the crisis. Another PHF official confirmed to ‘The News’ that the federation is in process of seeking a legal view and may move the court of law shortly.

The PHF point of view is that PSB barred all federations from holding elections before the approval of the new Sports Policy. ‘It was only in June that the federations were allowed to conduct elections. So it is really strange that within one month of issuance of that letter, the PSB has de-notified us while keeping a complete mum on the athletic, golf, and Ju-Jitsu federations. Over six months have expired since these federations were due to hold elections in less than a month in the hockey case,’ the official said.

The official reminded the concerned not to enforce things as it would create multiple problems for the game in the country. ‘Look the international body would only listen to us till the time we hand over the matter to a new body following elections.

They will continue to respond and correspond with us till that time. So, for the sake of the country’s hockey, the government must allow the PHF to hold elections and hand over the reins to the elected body. Till that time the de-notification letter should be withdrawn.’