Pakistani hockey team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt expressed the challenges faced during their tour to Australia and shared his regrets about a video depicting their poor conditions, which he felt might tarnish Pakistan's image.
The Pakistani hockey team recently qualified for the Pro Hockey League after seven years, a significant achievement for the team. Upon returning from their tour of Australia, captain Ammad Shakeel Butt described the difficulties they endured, including issues with flights and accommodations. He emphasized the ordeal they faced upon arriving in Sydney, where they wandered for 14 to 15 hours without any support or accommodations provided to them, which led to a sense of neglect towards the players.
Butt's comments were made during a media address at Lahore Airport on February 18, where he shared the heartache of the team's experience. He revealed that after their stay in Sydney, they went to Hobart, and the news of their struggles reached back to Pakistan. This brought him to a point of concern as he stated, 'When the matter reached India, I thought, this concerns my country and should not bring disgrace to it.'
The captain divulged that he was pressured to delete the video that showcased their team's unfortunate circumstances to prevent any further embarrassment to their nation. This highlights the ongoing challenges faced by sports teams in Pakistan, particularly regarding the support and infrastructure needed to facilitate international competition, raising questions about what measures can be taken to improve the situation moving forward.
