KARACHI (APP) – Pakistan manager-cum-chief coach Shahnaz Shaikh
and Captain Muhammad Imran resigned from their respective positions after team failing to qualify for next year’s Rio de Janeiro Olympics, it was reported on Sunday.
Three-time gold medalist Pakistan team failed to qualify for the
world’s biggest sporting extravaganza after making their debut in 1948 London Olympics.
Ireland team ended Pakistan’s chances of making to Olympics in
Brazil after stunning them 1-0 on Saturday.
According to reports, both Shahnaz Shaikh and Imran taking the
responsibility of the team’s poor show decided to resign.
They have informed the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) from their decisions.
Chief selector Islahuddin Siddiqui, selectors Ayaz Mahmood and
Khalid Bashir have already quit after Pakistan’s poor show in the
Olympic qualifiers in Belgium.
Under Shahnaz and Imran combination, Pakistan team won the silver
medal in last year’s Incheon Asian Games and silver medal in this
year’s Champions Trophy in India.
Pakistan, which launched Hockey Champion Trophy in 1971, also
failed to qualify for last year’s World Cup held in the Hague for
the first time in 42-year history of the competition.
In the meantime, pressure is mounting from former Olympians on
PHF chief Akhtar Rasool and Secretary Rana Mujahid to resign in the
wake of team’s disastrous show in Belgium.
