The Bangladesh Hockey Federation on Monday suspended four players and released the coach for acting suspiciously during the Asia Cup Hockey in Malaysia in August-September.
Bangladesh ended up seventh among the eight teams in the tournament despite going there with high expectation against the backdrop of some good performance in the proceeding international competitions.
Midfielder Russell Mahmud Jimmy, goalkeeper Zahid Hossain and defender Imran Hasan Pintu were banned for three years from the national team and two years from domestic hockey while forward Kamruzzaman Rana was handed a two-year ban from the national team and one year for domestic competitions.
Coach Mahbub Harun has been released from all kinds of national duties for an indefinite period while umpire Selim Lucky was acquitted from the charge of being involved in some unethical activities during the competition.
The decisions came at a governing body meeting of BHF, which discussed the detailed reports of a fact-finding committee, formed to look into the disastrous result of the team.
`It was very difficult for us to suspend those four players, who were very important for our national team,’ BHF president Air Marshal Enamul Bari told reporters after the meeting. ‘But to keep hockey on right track, we have to take that kind of harsh decisions.
`We have no doubt that they are very potential players for our country. Personally I was very sad having forced to take such decision. But for the greater interest of hockey and for the sake of team discipline we have to make this kind of decisions. There is little room for emotion here,’ he said.
Before taking the decision the BHF also evaluated the reports of team’s head coach Naveed Alam and manager Abdur Rashid Shikder. Both the coach and manager pointed a finger at these four players, coach Harun and umpire Selim. The six men were also charged by the fact-finding committee.
The BHF had earlier served show-cause notice on the accused and all have come up with a reply in their self-defence.
Jimmy, Zahid, Pintu and Rana were accused of being indisciplined and lacking commitment, which the officials said disrupted the team’s harmony.
Coach Mahbub Harun was released from his duty for allegedly carrying a bottle of alcohol and sharing it with some senior players. He was also accused of not providing enough cooperation to head coach Naveed.
Jimmy sharply reacted to the BHF decision and said it was not completely unexpected.
‘The BHF officials were threatening us about punishment even before the fact-finding committee submitted their report. It proves everything is pre-planned and it has no basic relation with our Asia Cup failure,’ said Jimmy.
‘They are trying to give me a lesson as I am linked with Mohammedan as player,’ said Jimmy, referring to Mohammedan’s conflict with the officials of BHF governing body. ‘I will fight against this decision.’
Coach Harun played down the significance of the punishment saying that he has no formal agreement with the BHF.
`BHF have the authority to take any kind of decision but all the allegations are false,’ said Harun. `I have no any formal agreement with the BHF so there is no question of my release.’
-With New Age input
