**Shahnaz quits as manager citing domestic commitments **](http://www.planetfieldhockey.com/PFH/Item-View-7542-29)
KARACHI: Former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh stepped down as manager of the national hockey team on Tuesday citing domestic commitments and an ongoing players’ controversy as reasons behind his decision to quit just six weeks before the Champions Trophy.
**“I’ve resigned because of domestic reasons. I also want to clear my name off a controversial issue that has disturbed me in recent weeks,” Shahnaz said while talking to this correspondent from Sialkot on Tuesday.
Shahnaz had submitted his resignation two days ago to the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). On Tuesday he had a telephonic conversation with PHF Secretary Brig Musarratullah Khan in which he was informed that the Federation had accepted his resignation.**
Shahnaz said that because of his father’s death recently, he had to take care of family business and other domestic issues. But he insisted that family commitment was not the only reason behind his decision to resign just months after joining the national team management.
Shahnaz was dragged into a serious controversy by Wapda sports officials, who claimed that he’d given permission to some of the senior players to play professional league in Germany. Top players including former skipper Nadeem ND, short corner marksman Sohail Abbas and midfielder Waseem Ahmed had skipped Pakistan’s tour to Australia to play in Germany without getting permission from the PHF. Sohail and Waseem play for Wapda, while Nadeem represents National Bank.
The Wapda officials’ claims forced the PHF to order an inquiry into the matter.
“It has been very disturbing for me the way they (Wapda officials) have tarnished my name. Now that I have quit, I’m in a better position to clear my name,” said Shahnaz.
He said that it was “heart-breaking” for him to leave the team just a few weeks before the Champions Trophy, but added that it was the right thing for him to do so."
Shahnaz said he was looking forward to tackle the controversy “created” by Wapda officials and had already discussed the issue with his lawyer.
Meanwhile, the PHF officials are yet to take a final decision on the fate of the team management. They are also expected to decide whether they should retain coach Tahir Zaman for the Champions Trophy to be held in August.
Musarrat said he’d be meeting PHF President Gen Aziz Khan on Wednesday (today) to brief him on the issue. He said Aziz would take the final decision about the management.
Once the decisions are made, the team management will be asked to join the team probables in Abbottabad later this week. The probables have been sent to Abbottabad for a week-long physical training camp. The players will then assemble in Karachi to attend a camp at the Pakistan Steel Hockey Ground in preparation for the Champions trophy.