Pakistan hockey players blamed for ‘blanket theft’

JAKARTA: After its dismal performance in the Asian Games, the Pakistan hockey team is now being accused in a scandal regarding the theft of blankets.

Three players mistakenly brought a blanket each to the hotel after the end of the Asian Games in Jakarta.

All three players were staying in the same room which is why the team administration was unaware of this incident. When the administration counted the blankets, there were three blankets less. When the Asian Games investigated into the matter, three Pakistani players were revealed to have taken the three blankets without informing the organisers.

However, a video of the Pakistan team manager Hassan Sardar posted on Twitter clarified the situation. He said that the players had thought of the blankets as souvenirs, that’s why they picked up. After realising that it was not so, they gave all blankets back.

Later, the Asian Games administration contacted Hassan Sardar, who immediately returned the three missing blankets.

The three players weren’t fined nor did they face any kind of penalty.

Many payers taking part in the worldwide sporting events take travelling bags, towels, blankets, toothpaste, shampoos and other goods as souvenirs.

In his video message, he said that the three players mistakenly took the blankets with them and later returned them to the Asia Games village.

Earlier on July 30, the national hockey team had threatened to boycott the Asian Games due to their daily allowances not being paid for six months, a total of more than Rs0.8 million per player.