Pakistan hockey squad Wednesday returned home from London Olympics to a mixed reception at the Lahore airport with dozens of angry fans greeting them with shouts of “shame shame” while others raised slogans in praise of them. Pakistan was sent crashing out of Olympics after they were hammered by Australia by seven goals in a pool match to settle for a seventh-place finish.
As the Pakistani players came out of the Allama Iqbal International Airport terminal, they were surprised to see the large crowd waiting for them carrying banners and placards. On one side, some protesters called out “shame shame” and urged Pakistan officials to resign immediately while on the other side, fans congratulated the players and raised slogans in their favour and of the PHF officials. At one stage, the shouting match between the two groups went out of hand and security officials, who were present in large heavy numbers at the airport, had to intervene to avert a possible clash. The players and officials were brought out of the airport terminal building surrounded by security officials. Head coach Akhtar Rasool also defended the performance of the players.
“They tried their best and won and drew some tough matches we just had one bad day against Australia,” Rasool, a former President of the PHF, said. Former Olympians and critics have called on the PHF President Qasim Zia and Secretary Asif Bajwa to step down immediately and allow new people to make a new beginning in Pakistan hockey. Pakistan beat South Africa, Argentina and South Korea and drew with Spain but lost to Australia and Great Britain by heavy margins. Pakistan returned home from the Olympics without a medal as its wild card entries in swimming, athletics and shooting also did not make it beyond the qualifying rounds.
Coach satisfied with hockey team performance in Olympics: Pakistan Hockey Team’s Head Coach Akhtar Rasool has said that he is satisfied with the national team’s performance in London Olympics 2012. Talking to media at Lahore airport after taking part in the Summer Games on Wednesday, Rasool said that he would continue to serve for the Pakistan hockey till his last breath. Pakistan got seventh position in the London Games and lost their group match 7-0 to world champions Australia. “Success and defeat is a part of every game…the team put great effort in the mega event except only one game,” Rasool defended. “World Cup 2014 is our next target and InshaAllah we will win it,” the head coach said. Sohail Abbas, the captain, said that there are other teams in world which are better than the Pakistan. He added that he was also satisfied with the performance.
Nation should have reality based expectations: Sohail Abbas
Welcomed by a mixture of protesting chants and commendations at the Lahore airport, Pakistan’s national hockey team captain Sohail Abbas said on Wednesday that the nation should not keep “high hopes” and should rather have “reality-based” expectations. Speaking to the media after arriving in Pakistan from London where the team participated in the 2012 Olympics, Abbas said that the “world saw how we worked hard for the Olympics” and that “success or defeat is in the hands of God.” “Australia is the number one hockey team. We played competitive matches and fought back very well and I am satisfied with me and my team’s performance.” When asked about his availability in the Hockey World Cup scheduled in 2014, he said, “I have not thought about my availability as yet.” The team’s head coach, Akhtar Rasool, while speaking to the media said, “It has been four months since I took charge of the hockey team and during this time I have developed the squad. I believe that the way the team performed in the Olympics, except for the one match against Australia, has been commendable.” Rasool said that the team worked really hard for the event. “As far as the federation is concerned, it did everything to facilitate and look after the team.” The head coach said that the team “awakened the nation’s hopes in hockey.” He said that the team’s next target is the 2014 hockey world cup and that he had hopes that the team will achieve it.
