PHF to hire foreign players for hockey league in Pakistan

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has started to woo foreign players for the inaugural edition of country’s franchise-based professional domestic league, to be launched by the end of this year. “We are vigorously making efforts to initiate our first pro league before the end of this year. And for that we’ve started to make contacts with players of different hockey playing nations, including Holland, Germany and Asian countries,” a spokesman for the PHF was quoted as saying Wednesday. He said Pakistan’s hockey league would be sanctioned by International Hockey Federation (FIH), adding that the federation was in touch with world hockey’s governing body to avoid any clash with international events. “As soon as we get a nod from the FIH we’ll announce the exact dates of the league,” he said.

He revealed that there would be at least five to six teams of different cities, with each of them having two foreign players. “We’re optimistic of attracting a reasonable number of international players,” he announced, adding that the owners of the franchises would themselves decide the names of their teams. Responding to a query, he said that best players from India would also be invited for the league, and the exact situation regarding participation of players from the neighbouring country would be clear after a couple of months. He said there would be three categories of players - category A, B and C. “Players of category A will be offered around Rs 1.5 million rupees, of B category around one million and those of category C will get around Rs 0.8 million.” He disclosed that talks were also in progress for the official broadcasters of the league. “Besides providing financial support to us, the league will prove a landmark in regaining the lost glory of hockey. We are sure it’ll help rebuild our supremacy in the game internationally,” he maintained.

(Source: Daily Times)