Wednesday, May 30, 2012

How low can they go...


ARGENTINA 3 INDIA 2
BRITAIN 2 NEW ZEALAND 1
MALAYSIA 3 PAKISTAN 2


By www.malaysianhockey.blogspot.com
(Satwant Singh Dhaliwal)


My visitors list at my corner in the open terrace continues as the Great Britain team officials paid me a visit before their match against New Zealand.
  And after the Argentina v India match, it was the coach of the world number one team Ric Charlesworth who dropped by to say hello, stating that he had read my plight on the internet.
  That is how powerful the internet can be but trust the Malaysian Hockey Confederation and those in the Organising Committee to realise this.
   What was more sad was the fact that FIH had, finally after years of trying, put up a story on their website asking fans to visit www.azlanshahcup.com.
   Except for some SMS exchanges, no effort has been made by any party to ask me to continue with my work. The reason given is that they have appointed a Media Officer from a government agency and his boss is elated at being given the chance to go on stage to receive a souvenir from HRH Sultan Azlan Shah on Friday.
  I painstakingly produced what many are acclaiming as the best souvenir program for the SAS Cup and someone else of going on stage to claim credit.

How low can they go.

In the words of the British official - what they did to you was downright disgusting...

Australia expect better draw after protest

SYDNEY: Coach Ric Charlesworth said on Monday that he was hopeful the Australian men’s field hockey team would receive a fairer draw at the London Olympics after lodging an official protest.
   Charlesworth was furious last week when his world number one “Kookaburras” were handed three early morning starts in their group matches, while main rivals Germany avoided the early timeslot altogether in the opposite group.
   Hockey Australia fired in an official protest, along with recommendations, to the organising committee of the London Games and the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
   Charlesworth said he was optimistic of a positive outcome and expected a decision to be made this week.
   “There are 10 early starts, there are 12 teams in the tournament and we got three of them. That doesn’t make any sense and I suspect there will be an adjustment,” Charlesworth told reporters in Perth.
   “I wouldn’t have been so keen to be vociferous if I didn’t think we could change it.
   “We expect to play early games. We expect to play one or two, but we don’t expect to play three spaced over the tournament like they are.
   “That doesn’t make any sense and it’s unfair.”
   Charlesworth said the 8.30am timeslot would require players to wake up at 5am in a major disruption to their daily tournament routine.
  Australia have dominated international men’s field hockey since Charlesworth took charge of the national team in 2009 and are strongly fancied for the gold medal in London.


Dawn

Jason Lee furious..


Not happy: following the defeat to Argentina head coach Jason Lee said: "If we play like that in the Olympic Games we will finish in the minor placings." Photo: PAUL GROVER

"GB will face Argentina in their opening match of the Olympics".
Great Britain coach Jason Lee criticised an "appalling performance" as his side lost 3-2 to Argentina in their third match of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.
   Lee suggested such form at this summer's Olympics would leave the team well short of the medal places. Ironically Team GB will face Argentina in their opening match of the Games.
   "Quite simply it was an appalling performance," he said on Monday, three days after his team had let slip a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with lowly Malaysia. "If we play like that in the Olympic Games we will finish in the minor placings."
   Enrique Paredes put Argentina – whose world ranking of nine is five positions below fourth-placed GB's – ahead after just eight minutes and although East Grinstead midfielder Ashley Jackson equalised just after half-time Paredes restored the South Americans' lead within two minutes.
   Lucas Cammareri swept home Argentina's third from the middle of the circle and although Jackson's late penalty corner gave GB hope, even replacing goalkeeper James Fair with an outfield player for the remaining four minutes could not force an equaliser.
   Great Britain face New Zealand, who have won all three matches, on Wednesday without the services of James Tindall as the Surbiton forward was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after turning an ankle in Sunday's win over India.
    The Telegraph

Shakeel and Rehan fined one million rupees

The Pakistan Hockey Federation received instructions regarding Sanctioned and Unsanctioned events being staged all over the world in hockey playing countries, which were ultimately circulated to all affiliated units for strict compliance in Pakistan. Following Pakistani players have contractual obligations with M/s. NIMBUS who organised World Hockey Series in India, which was declared by the FIH as “Unsanctioned”:-
  M/s. Rehan Butt, Waseem Ahmed, Zeeshan Ashraf, Shakeel Abbasi, Imran Warsi, Adnan Maqsood, Tariq Aziz and Mudassar Ali Khan.
   It was very alarming for the PHF and PHF immediately informed FIH about these players. Over and above, PHF forwarded this case to PHF Disciplinary Committee to probe and investigate into the matter and forward recommendations for President PHF. In the meantime, PHF issue Show Cause Notices to all the players who took part in the unsanctioned event. The replies to the Show Cause Notices are still awaited.
   PHF Discipline Committee called all the players on 7th May 2012. The players appeared before the Committee are Rehan Butt, Waseem Ahmed, Zeeshan Ashraf, Shakeel Abbasi and Tariq Aziz. Imran Warsi, Adnan Maqsood and Mudassar Ali Khan did not appear before the Committee for unknown reasons.
   The Committee demanded from the players their original contract/documents with the NIMBUS and record of first payment received. All of them provided the required record except Imran Warsi being out of country.
   The recommendations of the PHF Discipline Committee have been received and President PHF has approved the recommendations as under:-
   1. M/s. Shakeel Abbasi and Rehan Butt have been fined one million rupees (US$10 711 / GB£6 825 / €8 521) each as they preferred money over the PHF and national cause, as both of them were earmarked for the national team, which is preparing to take part in the London Olympics. They not only violated PHF Constitution/FIH Bye-Laws but have brought embarrassment to the nation.
   2. Rest of the players who participated has been fined Rs. 2.5 lakhs (UD$2 677 / GB£1 706 / €2 130) each.
   3. If the players do not pay the fine imposed will be banned to participate for a period of one year in national/international hockey activities.
    According to PHF Constitution, the players have the right to appeal to President PHF within seven days from date of issue of this letter
    PHF MEDIA DEPARTMENT: