KARACHI: Pakistan’s failure to qualify for next year’s men’s World Cup has sparked angry protests around Karachi, with some fans burning effigies of the players.
Protesters carried banners demanding the resignation of the country’s hockey officials.
The failure dominated headlines in yesterday’s newspapers, while television channels also gave the story extensive coverage, pointing out that it was a black day for Pakistan’s national sport.
Meanwhile, former Olympians and fans mourned the “darkest day” in Pakistan’s sporting history.
Pakistan went down 2-1 to South Korea in the Asia Cup semi-final in Malaysia on Friday, a tournament they needed to win to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in the Netherlands.
“We have such a rich history in hockey, we ruled the world, and today we can’t even qualify for the World Cup,” former Pakistan captain and Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui said.
“It is a dark day for the hockey community.”
“This will be the first time that we will miss the World Cup, a tournament which Pakistan introduced in 1971.”
Pakistan won the inaugural competition in 1971 and triumphed again in 1978, 1982 and 1994. Islahuddin said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should address the crisis in hockey, which is the country’s national sport although overshadowed by cricket.
“This federation is working since 2008 and we came eighth in the Beijing Olympics, 12th, last in the 2010 World Cup, seventh in the London Olympics 2012 and now out of the 2014 World Cup,” said Islahuddin, under whom Pakistan won their last Asia Cup title, way back in 1989.
“The prime minister is addressing all the problems faced by Pakistan and this is the right time to change people at the helm because we cannot go worse than this,” he said.
Three-time Olympic gold medallists, Pakistan have suffered a serious slump in field hockey. Their only triumph since 1994 was the Asian Games title in 2010.
Olympian Shahnaz Shaikh said he felt heart-broken at hockey’s downfall.
“Why I am alive to see this day?” said Shaikh, vice-captain of Pakistan’s triumphant 1978 World Cup team.
“It’s sad, sad and sad, we have seen this day when the masters of hockey have come to this stage.”
Shaikh said the government must replace the current hockey federation leadership.
“It’s time we have a change at the top, until and unless we do that it would be impossible to change our hockey fortune,” said Shaikh, also a qualified coach.
Agencies
