PHF president Tariq Bugti resigns; Imad Shakeel Butt banned for two years

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Tariq Bugti has resigned from his post, while national team captain Imad Shakeel Butt has been banned for two years.

Speaking at a press conference, Tariq Bugti said the federation was not responsible for the recent issues, placing the blame on the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). He added that the Prime Minister and the Field Marshal have formed an inquiry committee to investigate the matter.

Bugti said Pakistan’s hockey performance had improved during his tenure, noting that the national team’s world ranking rose from 18th to 13th and the team qualified for the Pro League after six years.

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He also thanked Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti and other authorities for supporting hockey, while adding that the Prime Minister approved and released Rs250 million for the sport.

He claimed that funds required for the Pro League were with the Pakistan Sports Board but were not released on time. According to him, the team management had submitted the tour schedule on October 30, 2025, and also emailed the PSB on January 2 seeking funds. However, payments were not made to the hotel management in Argentina, which created problems for the team.

Bugti said he personally approached the sports board several times, but the matter was not handled properly. He added that despite the issues, the national team is preparing for the qualifying round and performing well.

Meanwhile, PHF also imposed a two-year ban on national team captain Imad Shakeel Butt.