3 Pakistan Hockey Players, Physio Banned for Life After Seeking Asylum in Europe

Three Pakistan hockey players and a physiotherapist have been handed lifetime bans for attempting to seek asylum in Europe after secretly leaving their team. The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary-general, Rana Mujahid, confirmed on Thursday that players Murtaza Yaqoob, Ihtesham Aslam, Abdur Rahman and physiotherapist Waqas had travelled to the Netherlands and Poland last month for the Nations Cup.

Upon the team’s return to Pakistan, the players cited domestic issues as a reason for missing the training camp for the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy. However, it was later revealed that they had returned to Holland on their Schengen visas to seek political asylum.

Mujahid expressed disappointment, stating that this incident could complicate future visa applications for European competitions. The PHF Congress approved the lifetime bans and requested the PHF president to work with the Pakistan consulate to bring the individuals back for disciplinary action. The interior and foreign ministries have also been notified.

While acknowledging the financial challenges within the PHF, Mujahid stated that such issues do not excuse the players’ actions, which have brought disrepute to Pakistan hockey.