ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has rejected allegations made by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), saying documentary evidence shows the board fulfilled all financial responsibilities related to the national team’s participation in FIH Pro League Season-7 Phase-2 in Hobart, Australia.

In a statement, the PSB said claims against it were misleading and contrary to the record, adding that administrative and operational shortcomings occurred at the federation level rather than within the government body.

The national team’s departure for the Australia tour was initially scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026, but was cancelled after visa applications submitted by the PHF were delayed and contained incorrect information. The PSB said it intervened through diplomatic channels, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after which applications were resubmitted. The team departed on Feb. 5 and arrived in Hobart on Feb. 7.

According to the board, it paid 27.1 million Pakistani rupees for air tickets and covered an additional 9.7 million rupees in costs arising from visa-related issues. It added that the federation provided lists of players and officials with passports on Jan. 26 and Jan. 27, after which a cheque for hotel payments was issued on Jan. 28.

At the federation’s request, an advance of 49,280 Australian dollars was released for accommodation at the four-star DoubleTree by Hilton, covering 12 double and two single rooms. The PSB said the federation did not confirm the hotel booking before departure. Daily allowances of $1,610 per player and about $3,000 for miscellaneous expenses were also issued in advance.

The PHF had sought a total budget of 350 million rupees for the Pro League. The Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination provided 250 million rupees, after which the PSB formally informed the federation on Aug. 27, 2025, of the funding arrangements and asked it to submit a detailed operational plan. The board said arranging the remaining funds was the federation’s responsibility under its constitution, but no detailed plan or additional funding arrangements were submitted.

The PSB said records showed repeated delays by the federation in submitting documents for international tournaments, including visa and training camp requests ahead of a 2025 tour to Argentina.

Citing past financial irregularities, the board said decisions taken in its 31st and 34th meetings required the federation to submit full accounts of previous funds before receiving further direct financial support. Earlier funds, it said, had been used for staff salaries, travel expenses of officials, daily allowances and fuel costs.

The board also rejected claims that it was responsible for handling all operational arrangements for international events, saying under the national sports governance framework it provides financial support, oversight and policy guidance, while logistics, bookings, visa processing and operational management fall under the mandate of the relevant federation.

It added that documents related to the national team’s participation in a World Cup qualifying event in Egypt, including player lists and no-objection certificates, have yet to be submitted by the federation.

“The Pakistan Sports Board will not compromise on the national team’s interests, transparency and accountability,” the statement said.