- Pakistan hockey climbs ranking to 15th despite an Olympics miss.
- The captain reveals unpaid wages for six months and a lack of support.
- Players struggle with facilities, sponsorship, and media coverage.
However, the team’s captain, Ammad Butt, revealed on Monday that the players have not been paid by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) for the last six months. The Men in Green failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics after losing to New Zealand in the third/fourth place match of the qualifiers on Sunday.
In an Instagram post, Ammad thanked fans for their support and highlighted the lack of facilities and government support that players face while pursuing their passion for the game. He also expressed his disappointment with the unfair treatment of the players, who have been playing without any sponsorship, media coverage, or proper professional system for the last 10 years.
Ammad concluded by requesting support for the team, which is motivated to do well for the country in the future. It is unfortunate that Pakistan has failed to qualify for the Olympics for the third consecutive time. The three-time Olympic gold medallists were unable to secure their spot in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 as well.
Germany had defeated Pakistan 4-0 in the semifinal after they had drawn 3-3 with Malaysia to secure a vital point that would allow them to advance to the final four.
After losing their opening game to Great Britain on Monday by a score of 6-1, Pakistan won their first game in the competition by defeating China 2-0.
Pakistan trailed Great Britain (nine points) in Pool A of the pool matches. Malaysia concluded with just one point, China with three, and Pakistan with four.
[embedpost slug = "/pakistan-misses-qualification-for-paris-olympics/"]
