PHF imposes life bans on Mansoor and Alam

Karachi:

Pakistan Hockey Federation has imposed life bans on former players Mansoor Ahmed and Naved Alam after finding them guilty of fraud and misusing funds meant for the national team.

PFH President Qasim Zia told a press conference on Friday that the Executive Board of the Federation had decided to impose life bans after it had gone through evidence which confirmed the charges against the two former players.

He said that the federation had evidence that when Alam was manager and coach and took the national team to Europe last year, he misused funds to the tune of 2.5 million rupees. Alam, a fullback was a member of the 1994 World Cup team, was the manager and coach of the national team in last year's Beijing Olympic games before he resigned.

Mansoor is a former celebrated goalkeeper and Olympian who featured in many of Pakistan's historic wins in the 80s and 90s including the 1994 World Cup title.

Both players have a chequered past with Mansoor spending time in jail for theft while working as a Customs officer and Alam only recently being released on bail in a murder case.

Mansoor and Alam had recently alleged that PHF secretary Asif Bajwa and some other officials encourage and patronise people who are using the hockey body for human trafficking to European countries.

Qasim said the life bans had nothing to do with the allegations made by Mansoor and Alam as these were found to be unsubstantiated and false.

"I don't think any federation official is involved in human trafficking and we have instructed our lawyers to also file damages against the two players for making these allegations," he said.

Qasim also said that Mansoor without getting clearance from the PHF had gone to the US embassy and tried to obtain visas for a private team.

"It is a sad day for Pakistan hockey but the board had to take disciplinary action for serious violations and fraud," he said.