Lost Glory, Pakistan’s Hockey Darkest Era

In past, Pakistan enjoyed its fair share of fame and recognition in the realm of sports from bagging in the world championships to being an Olympic gold medallist. However today, it is failing at every other sport than cricket. Pakistan, once flying on the horse of fame and recognition in the arena of sports, failed and became a non-entity. Its men’s hockey team has once again failed to grab the opportunity to qualify for the Olympics’ third time in a row. Lack of consistency has made it difficult for players to adapt to the demands of modern-day hockey.

The poor performance in the international arena also significantly reduced interest in hockey in Pakistan even though it is the country’s national sport. Olympian Wasim Feroze, a member of Pakistan’s 1994 World Cup and Champions Trophy winning teams, said “What do you expect, when the team is sent to the Olympic qualifiers with just 18 days of training whereas all the other teams have come there with months of preparation”. Many believe Cricket, the most popular game in the country is to blame for hockey’s decline as it diverts the financial resources and overshadows other sports. However, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is vulnerable to complex risks associated with corrupt individuals exploiting it for illegal gain. Top of FormBottom of FormIt has been struggling with low spirit, has faced a financial crisis and allegations of misusing government funds besides being widely criticised for poor planning.

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Countries around the world use sports to boost their economies and enhance their global image, but Pakistan has been left far behind in this regard. Sardar Khan, a sports journalist claims our former players continuously opposed appointments of foreign coaches but when they got opportunities to coach the national team, they failed repeatedly. This lack of effort is only worsening the situation. But the question remains will Pakistan ever be able to reclaim its lost glory? If we need to revive, our behaviours and attitudes need to change. The lack of structural support and professional development can be seen as key issues. Till today we have continued to celebrate our past victories not realising that the game has changed. There is no structure, no roadmap to progress and sadly no professionalism. It is time for us to move away from illusions and accept the reality.

We need to recognize the failings of PHF and implement immediate changes. This includes appointing experienced officials, selecting teams based on merit and increasing financial support from the government while investing in high-quality coaching and advanced training. The focus should be on building a solid foundation through grassroots initiatives and strengthening international partnerships. We need to show the same concern for other sports as we do for cricket and start holding the sport’s governing bodies accountable for their actions.

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