The former hockey players hit out at the Pakistan government after their invitations for Arshad Nadeem's reception with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were revoked on Saturday, August 17. The Pakistani government hosted a gala dinner to honour Arshad Nadeem for his golden success in the recent Paris Olympics 2024 but the event was tainted with a big controversy.
The former hockey star Rao Saleem Nazim alleged that he and some hockey stalwarts were invited to attend a gala at PM House. Rao said they received a confirmation email from the PM secretariat but the latter revoked those invitations at the last moment citing 'the guest management' reason.
He slammed the government for not respecting former hockey stars who produced regular medals in the Olympic Games. Before Nadeem's historic gold in 2024, Pakistan's last Summer Olympic medal came in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
"The PM House had sent invitations to several hockey stalwarts to attend the function and they all got emails confirming their invitations," Rao Saleem Nazim said. "But at the last moment many of us got a message from the PM secretariat that since they were finding it difficult to adjust the number of guests, the invitations had been withdrawn.
"Is this how you show respect to players who have brought not one but several Olympic medals in hockey for the country."
Arshad Nadeem demands more focus on 'women athletes'
On his return to Pakistan, Arshad pointed out a lack of efforts by the government for women athletes in the nation. He demanded facilities and higher education for young athletes and also requested the government a track and field stadium in his hometown Mian Channu.
“We badly need facilities for our women and even men to acquire higher education in our area and nowadays young athletes need to be given the best facilities,” Arshad said.
Pakistan's men's hockey team won eight Olympic medals, including three golds in 1960, 1968 and 1984. Wrestler Muhammad Bashir (bronze in 1960) and boxer Hussain Shah (silver in 1988) were the only individual medalists before Nadeem's gold in the men's javelin throw at the Paris Games.
