Pakistan Hockey players allege smear campaign attempt to defame them after allegations of theft

[giri26]

LAHORE: Pakistan hockey team embroiled in yet another scandal after a dismal performance in the Asian Games.

There have been revelations that three players, by their will, decided to bring the blankets to the hotel after the end of the Asian Games in Jakarta.

According to sources, all three players were staying in the same room which is why the team administration did not know about this incident. When the administration counted the blankets, there were three blankets less.

When the Asian Games investigated into the matter, three Pakistani players were revealed to have taken the three blankets without informing the organisers.

The Asian Games administration contacted the Pakistan team manager Hassan Sardar, who immediately returned the three missing blankets.

However, the three players weren’t fined nor did they face any kind of penalty.

Many payers taking part in the worldwide sporting events take traveling bags, towels, blankets, toothpastes, shampoos and other goods as souvenirs.

However, the Asian Games administration had already notified the athletes from Asian countries not to take anything back to their countries and any player who did it, would be heavily fined.

The national team manager said there was no truth in the matter that the players were searched at the airport.

In his video message, he said that the three players mistakenly took the blankets with them and later returned them to the Asia Games village.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/180037...key-player-embroil-blanket-theft-controversy/

 

[B_Positive]

So now we have stooped so low that we are taking blankets. I am sure they would have taken them deliberately thinking they will get away with it.

 

[AMSS]

Would have affirmed the Indonesians in their belief that visa on arrival to Pakistanis is a bad idea. Well done the players from Pakistan.

 

[Pakistanian]

Pretty petty on part of the organizers, people take things from hotels all the time. They should've anticipated it and not make a big deal. What's next, penalize players from taking those complementary shampoos?

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI : Following a ‘blanket theft’ accusation in the aftermath of the Asian Games, players involved in the scandal have alleged the issue was raised to defame them.

The three players named in the scandal, Muhammad Irfan, Touseeq Arshad and Ali Shan, who were sharing the room at the Games Village in Jakarta, have denied all allegations, including the team management and said that there is no truth in all the news.

The players were accused of pilfering some items from the hotel room, however, according to the management and players the things they took were kept in the room as souvenirs for the players.

“I have toured many countries around the world and participated in many tournaments. In events like these, the host country and the management of the tournaments allows the players to take souvenirs with them and that is why we took them as a memory as it had the Asian Games logo on it,” Touseeq Arshad told The Express Tribune.

“I cannot imagine we have been blamed of stealing these things. We are not junior players neither are we were touring for the first time. We know how things work at tournaments like these. As soon as we got to know that the Asian Games management has not allowed the players to take these souvenirs, we returned everything,” Touseeq, who has represented Pakistan in 160 international matches, added.

Furthermore, Touseeq said the issue has been raised to malign the team and the players. “There isn’t any issue; it was deliberately created to defame the team. I am really disappointed. How can someone do this? Just generate some news,” he added.

Asian Games: Pakistan hockey players embroiled in ‘blanket theft’ controversy

Former captain of the team, Muhammad Irfan Senior, also denied all allegations saying that he cannot even imagine stealing. “I have been playing for the team for 12 years and have always portrayed a positive image of Pakistan,” he said.

Irfan has represented Pakistan in 235 international matches and is currently the most senior player of the team. “I don’t know why someone has created such a big issue on this. They might not be aware of the policies of the Games. Players are always allowed to take items that are presented as souvenirs with the Games logo present on it,” he said.

The team manager Hasan Sardar also refuted all such claims.


https://tribune.com.pk/story/1801389/7-hockey-players-allege-smear-campaign-attempt-defame/