Report: Faizan Lakhani FIH Hockey Pro League management has issued a formal written apology to the Pakistan Hockey Federation for displaying the wrong flag of Pakistan in the FIH Pro League.
International Hockey Federation (FIH) Pro Hockey League Director Hilary Atkinson has apologized unconditionally for the wrong display of Pakistan’s national flag in a letter to Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Muhyiddin Ahmed Wani.
The incident took place during the national anthem ceremony before the FIH Pro League match between Pakistan and India in London, which did not include the white part of the Pakistan flag.
The letter said that the national flag of any team is an important symbol of its identity, pride and representation and this mistake has hurt the hearts of the Pakistan team, its supporters, the people of Pakistan and the Pakistan Hockey Federation, which FIH is deeply saddened by.
In her letter, Hilary Atkinson accepted full responsibility for the incident and said that it was an administrative error and that all administrative and operational procedures will be reviewed to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
He assured that such mistakes related to the national identity and honor of any team will not be allowed to happen in the future.
The FIH Pro League management in its letter appreciated the participation of Pakistan Hockey Federation and the national team in the Pro League and said that their priority is to maintain a respectful and professional attitude towards all teams.
It is worth mentioning that before the match between Pakistan and India, the national flag of Pakistan was hoisted during the national anthem ceremony.
Critics questioned how such a major blunder was overlooked in an international event, while the Pakistan team management was also criticized for not pointing out a serious error before the event began.
