“Wash Dishes Before Matches”: Pakistan Hockey Captain Ammad Shakeel Butt Slams PHF Over Australia Tour Fiasco.
Pakistan hockey captain Ammad Shakeel Butt exposes the PHF’s mismanagement during the Australia tour, alleging players were forced to wash dishes and were left stranded on the streets.
Pakistan Hockey Captain Ammad Shakeel Butt Slams PHF Over Australia Tour Fiasco: “We Had to Wash Dishes”
In a scathing indictment of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), national team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has exposed the “humiliating” conditions the squad faced during their recent tour of Australia for the FIH Pro League. Speaking to media at the Lahore Airport early Wednesday morning (February 18, 2026), a visibly emotional Butt detailed a harrowing account of mismanagement, including players being forced to perform menial labor and roaming the streets due to unpaid hotel bills.
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Key Allegations: “Mental Torture” and Mismanagement
The captain revealed that the team was subjected to treatment he described as “mental torture.” Despite representing the nation on a global stage, the players were reportedly treated like “helpless people” rather than professional athletes.
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- Menial Labor: Butt claimed players had to wash dishes, clean the kitchen, and even scrub washrooms before heading to the field to play matches.
- Stranded in Sydney: Upon landing in Sydney, the team was allegedly forced to wait for 13 to 14 hours at the airport and later roam the streets with their luggage because the federation had failed to clear hotel payments.
- Substandard Housing: The team was moved from an initial Airbnb to even cheaper, inadequate housing after 10 days because the booking was shorter than the duration of their stay.
- Insufficient Funds: Players were reportedly told to manage all three daily meals on a meager allowance of $115, leading to further stress and physical exhaustion.
”When players have to clean the kitchen and wash dishes before going to play a match, what result do you expect from us?” Butt asked angrily, addressing the team’s poor performance where they lost all four matches of the Australian leg.
The Financial Discrepancy
The controversy has sparked a major scandal within Pakistan’s sporting circles. The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) confirmed it had released over 10 million rupees to the PHF specifically for the team’s accommodation and travel in Australia. The lack of payment to hotels and the subsequent cancellation of bookings have raised serious questions about where the allocated funds were actually used.
A “Pack of Lies” and Calls for Reform
Butt also admitted that he was initially pressured by the management to release a video stating “everything was fine” to prevent negative news from reaching rival nations, particularly India. However, he has now decided to speak the truth, rejecting the PHF’s code of conduct and demanding a complete overhaul of the management.
”Enough is enough,” Butt stated. “We can’t work with this current management. We need a foreign coach and professional management if we want to move forward.”
Official Inquiry
The fiasco has reached the highest levels of government. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who serves as the patron-in-chief of the PHF, has ordered an immediate inquiry into the matter. The PSB Director-General, Noor us Sabah, is currently preparing a detailed report to identify those responsible for the neglect of the national heroes.
Team: Yuvamorcha.com
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