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Pakistan Hockey Captain's Ban Lifted Amid Pro League Controversy

The interim president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, has lifted the two-year ban imposed on national team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt. The ban was originally enforced by outgoing PHF chief Tariq Hussain Bugti amid allegations of mismanagement during the team's FIH Pro League tour of Australia. The controversy involved disputes over player accommodation and insufficient daily allowances provided to the team. The development follows Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's acceptance of Bugti's resignation and the appointment of Wani as ad-hoc president.

Key Points: PHF Lifts Ban on Captain Ammad Butt Amid Pro League Row

  • Captain's ban revoked
  • Tour accommodation controversy
  • PM appoints interim PHF chief
  • Player allowance dispute
  • Team's poor Pro League performance
2 min read

Interim PHF chief lifts 2-year ban on hockey captain Butt amid Pro League controversy

Interim PHF chief revokes 2-year ban on captain Ammad Shakeel Butt following team's Australia tour controversy and management changes.

"transparency and fairness would guide all decisions under his tenure - Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani"

New Delhi, Feb 20

The newly appointed interim president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, has lifted the two-year ban on the national team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt.

Amid allegations of mismanagement during the national hockey team's participation in the second leg of the FIH Pro League in Hobart, Australia, outgoing PHF chief Tariq Hussain Bugti imposed a two-year ban on captain Ammad Butt before stepping down from his post.

On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accepted Bugti's resignation and appointed the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Federal Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani as ad-hoc president of the federation.

The development came amid controversy over the Pakistan national team's tour of Australia, where accommodation arrangements could not be secured on time, forcing players to spend several hours on the road.

However, Pakistan captain Ammad Butt, in a video statement, had earlier refuted claims that the team was left without any hotel accommodation or forced onto the streets. But players have expressed discomfort over their daily TA/DA allowance of USD 40 from the PSB, which falls short of the USD 100 stipulated in PHF regulations.

On Friday, the interim president of PHF Wani announced the revocation of Butt's ban, stating that transparency and fairness would guide all decisions under his tenure, the Dawn reported.

Pakistan have lost all of their FIH Pro League so far, and their overall performance also came under criticism. The report further stated that after Bugti's resignation, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the hockey players, including Ammad Butt.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Butt said Naqvi told him there was no ban and that the same team that toured Australia would travel to Egypt.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very sad state of affairs for Pakistan hockey, once a powerhouse. The federation's mismanagement is hurting the sport. In India, we have our challenges too, but at least our hockey administration is somewhat stable now. Hope they sort it out for the sake of the game. 🤝
R
Rohit P
The captain giving a video statement, the PCB chairman meeting hockey players... it's all so messy. The focus should be on training and strategy, not these dramas. Losing all Pro League matches shows where the priority has been. 🏑
S
Sarah B
From an outsider's perspective, it's clear the athletes are caught in a political and administrative crossfire. The new interim president talks of transparency, but lifting a ban so quickly without a proper review seems like more of the same. The players deserve better.
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Vikram M
Honestly, as an Indian hockey fan, a strong Pakistan team is good for the sport. The India-Pakistan matches are legendary. This kind of news is disappointing. Hope they get their act together. The issue of daily allowance is basic – how can you expect top performance if players are worried about expenses?
K
Karthik V
The PM himself had to step in and appoint an interim chief? Shows how deep the rot is. The captain being banned for management's failures is utterly wrong. The ban lift is correct, but the system needs a complete overhaul. Our own sports bodies should take note and avoid such pitfalls.

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