Pakistan's decline prompts parliamentary probe

Karachi, June 30 (Reuters) Once the proud hoolders of four grand slam world titles, Pakistan's hockey team are in decline, prompting a parliamentary probe.

A National Assembly committee on sports will hold a hearing on Monday to consider the performances of the team and the Pakistan hockey federation (PHF) and it has summoned officials and former and present players to appear before it in Islamabad.

Pakistan, who won all the four grand slam titles in world hockey -- the Olympics, World Cup, Champions Trophy and Asian Games -- finished a disappointing fifth of the eight nations in the recent Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia.

Pakistan have not won a grand slam event since 1994 when they captured both the Champions Trophy and World Cup titles.

''The committee has asked us to appear before it. I think we need to reconcile that the gap has narrowed down between the world teams and we shouldn't get jittery,'' federation secretary Brigadier Musarratullah told Reuters.

Hockey authorities and players have been sharply criticised for the long spell without a major title for Pakistan, who won the Olympic gold in 1960, 1968 and 1984. In Athens two years ago, they finished fifth.

WORLD CUP Former Olympians blame the federation for not being good enough to stem the decline and former captain Islahuddin Siddique said the PHF lacked proper planning and accountability.

Another Olympian, Iftikhar Syed, said the current team lacked talented players.

Islahuddin, a former coach, has been called to appear in front of the parliamentary committee along with other Olympians to suggest reasons for the slide and measures to stop it.

Musarratullah said that the bad performance in the Azlan Shah, which ended this week, would not derail Pakistan's preparations for September's World Cup in Moenchengladbach, Germany.

''I think we are well on course in our planning. There are some flaws which we have to rectify but I don't think it is a situation that calls for desperate measures,'' he said.

Pakistan's next assignment is the Champions Trophy in Terrassa, Spain, from July 22-30.

Pakistan and India, the traditional powerhouses in world hockey, have lagged behind the European nations and Australia in the last decade despite experiments with foreign coaches.

Ahead of the Athens Olympics, Pakistan hired Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans who had led the Netherlands to the 1996 Olympic title. He is now back with the Netherlands and helped them to win the Azlan Shah title.

Pakistan have missed penalty corner specialist Sohail Abbas who now plays league hockey in the Netherlands. He left the national team three years ago after differences with the PHF and remains Pakistan's highest goal scorer.

REUTERS PM PC0931