On Thursday (February 3), veteran Pakistani hockey player Rashid-ul-Hasan was banned for 10 years for allegedly ‘abusing’ Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on social media over his false promises, reported Dawn. Hasan was a part of the Pakistani field hockey team that won the gold medal for the country during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Dawn reported that the ban was handed to the former Olympian by the Pakistani Hockey Federation (PHF). It must be mentioned that PM Imran Khan is the patron-in-chief of the Federation.
PHF reached the decision after constituting a committee to investigate the accusations of ‘abusive language’ used by Rashid-ul-Hasan against the Pakistani Prime Minister. The committee was instructed by the Federation President Brigadier Khalid Sajjad Khokhar and Secretary Asif Bajwa.
The former Olympian reportedly did not respond to two notices sent by the PHF, following which a 10-year-ban was imposed on him by the investigating committee. Dawn reported that a copy of the diktat has been forwarded to the Pakistani National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Sports. PHF also urged the Pakistani Sports Board to write to PEMRA and implement the ‘ban’ on Hasan.
Ex-Olympian denied using abusive language against Imran Khan
While speaking about the issue, Rashid-ul-Hasan denied allegations of using abusive language against Pakistani PM Imran khan. The ex-hockey player said, “On social media or any other public media I have always given (due)respect to the prime minister.“
He further added, “On a WhatsApp group I only said that on the container though Imran Khan was claiming that he would put the game of hockey on the right track, nothing came on the surface during the last three years. And I also said Imran will not do any good work for hockey.”
The former Olympian emphasised that he has every right to speak against the Prime Minister. Hasan also pointed out that he was surprised by the news of the ban since he did not hold any position in the Pakistani Hockey Federation. He acknowledged receiving 2 notices from PHF but did not ‘consider them serious.’
