By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has accused the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) of serious mismanagement in the national team’s participation in the FIH Pro League Season 7, warning that repeated planning failures have caused administrative embarrassment and jeopardised preparations despite the approval of Rs250 million in public funds.
In an official letter dated January 24, 2026, addressed to the PHF president the PSB said the federation had failed to submit a comprehensive participation and training plan despite repeated directives and reminders issued since August last year.
The PSB said it had approved a budget of Rs 250 million on August 27, 2025, specifically to support Pakistan’s participation in the FIH Pro League and had instructed the federation to submit within three days a detailed plan covering training schedules, travel arrangements, logistics, administrative matters and related requirements.
“Despite the substantial financial approval and repeated reminders, PHF has neither formulated nor shared a structured training programme or participation plan,” the letter said.
Instead, the sports board said, the federation routinely submitted requests for training camps and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) at the “eleventh hour,” often with incomplete documentation, leaving insufficient time for the PSB to arrange essential matters such as air travel, accommodation, uniforms, logistics and daily allowances.
The PSB said this pattern had resulted in avoidable embarrassment for the country and unnecessary public criticism.
Citing specific examples, the letter said the PHF applied for a training camp scheduled from November 24 to December 2, 2025, through a letter dated November 23, just one day before the camp was to begin. This, the PSB noted, was in clear violation of its standard operating procedures issued in October 2024 which require national sports federations to submit such requests at least 15 days in advance.
The camp itself was limited to nine days, which the PSB described as “manifestly insufficient” and reflective of an “unprofessional approach,” particularly ahead of a major international competition such as the FIH Pro League, where significant public funds are invested.
The board also raised concerns over the team’s departure for Argentina on December 3, 2025, noting that the required documentation for the NOC was only completed and submitted on November 26 just seven days before travel.
This, it said, violated PSB guidelines issued in September 2024, which mandate that NOC cases be submitted at least eight weeks in advance to allow coordination with the ministries of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Interior and Foreign Affairs.
Similar shortcomings were reported during preparations for the second phase of the FIH Pro League in Australia. The PSB said the PHF applied for a training camp on December 31, 2025, for a camp scheduled to run from January 5 to January 31, again indicating delayed planning and poorly structured preparation.
Despite the federation’s stated intention to participate in matches in Australia from February 10 to February 15, 2026, the PSB said the mandatory requirements for the issuance of an NOC had still not been fulfilled.
The letter also criticised the federation’s heavy reliance on government funding, saying it undermined the purpose of having office bearers at the federation.
“If all financial and logistical responsibilities are to be borne entirely by the PSB, the team could instead be directly managed and sponsored by the PSB,” the letter said.
The sports board stressed that it remained the responsibility of the PHF to mobilise resources from multiple sources, including provincial governments, departments and the private sector, in addition to government support.
The PSB has asked the PHF to submit its response to the observations by January 26, 2026.
The letter was signed by Muhammad Waqar Ahmed, Assistant Director (National Federations) at the Pakistan Sports Board.
