Four hockey players suspended

Bangladesh Hockey Federation suspended four players from all hockey activities, including national team duties yesterday for varying periods over their disruptive roles they played during Bangladesh’s Asia Cup Hockey campaign.

Bangladesh Hockey Federation served show-cause notices to four senior players – Russell Mahmud Jimmy, Zahid Hossain, Qumruzzaman Rana, Imran Hasan Pintu – along with coach Mahbub Harun and umpire Selim Lucky last month over alleged misconduct during the Asia Cup held in Malaysia last August. The players and officials submitted their answers to the show-cause notices last week and the governing body of the hockey federation came to its decision after much discussion.

As per the decisions, Jimmy, Zahid and Pintu were suspended from the national team for three years and banned from hockey activities for two seasons. Rana was suspended for two years from the national team and one season from the local arena.

Coach Mahbub Harun was suspended as the coach of the national team while umpire Selim Lucky was acquitted from any complaints.

Khawja Rahmatullah said it was unanimous decision. “All the members of the governing body extended full support to the decisions. The decisions were taken after discussing all the aspects and to bring discipline back to the national team and it was taken in the national team’s interest,” he said.

Rahmatullah also said the president of the hockey federation Air Marshal Enamul Bari has ruled appealing against the decisions.

Zahid Hossain, the long serving goalkeeper of the national team was shocked by the news. “I feel that I’ve been slaughtered. It was not justified, hockey is a team game and we were not the only persons for the failure. We will appeal against the verdict and hope the federation reconsiders it,” said Zahid.

Jimmy was thinking of something different. “We all are the victims of hockey federations hostility, we will take steps against the decisions through demonstrations with other players” said Jimmy.