LAHORE: The top officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federation have graciously declined the invitation of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for witnessing the Rio Olympics hockey event next month.
"FIH sent an official invitation to the president, PHF, Brig retd Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and myself to watch the hockey competition of the Rio Olympics as FIH guests", said Secretary, PHF, Shahbaz Ahmad Senior while talking to APP here on Tuesday.
He said the reason behind refusing the invitation was the non participation of the Pakistan team which failed to qualify for the Olympics and there was no valid justification for them to fly to Rio and witness the Olympics hockey competition.
"It is quite unfortunate that our team could not qualify for the Olympics first time in our hockey history and without our teams participation it is not appropriate to attend such a grand event", said the former pakistan hockey captain and a celebrated forward. Secretary PHF praised the kind gesture of the FIH for inviting them.
The former Olympian said it is a painful moment for pakistan hockey that our team is not among the teams featuring in the olympics and described it a worst hockey scenario.
"Keeping in view, our current low world ranking and failure to qualify for the Olympus we have re-launched sincere efforts to lift the game out of present gloom", he said adding that by taking drastic measures we will ensure that our team put up a dazzling show in the next Asian Games to qualify for 2020 Tokyo olympics
Shahbaz said PHF is laying special emphasis on the grooming of the national junior team to strengthen the base of the game and to prepare a side which is capable of qualifying for the jr world cap and eventually the junior players making their mark in the senior team to inspire it for qualifying for the Olympics.
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