KARACHI, 16 May 2004 — Pakistan lost at least a shot at the silver medal in the Sydney Olympic Games because of the absence of a rule that allowed Korean defenders to go on a harakiri mission in the semifinal on their way to a shock 1-0 victory.

Four years on, Pakistan can expect a change of luck in Athens this August following the International Hockey Federation (FIH) decision to introduce a rule that will put a full stop to the suicide acts aimed at stopping short corner goals in a highly dangerous manner.

From June 1 this year, umpires will be allowed to award a penalty stroke or penalize a defender who runs at a legitimate shot at goal during a penalty corner with the clear intention of blocking the shot with their body.

Pakistan’s former manager Islahuddin Siddiqui and short corner specialist Sohail Abbas were the biggest victims of the Sydney “suicide attacks”.

Islah was fired after Pakistan’s fourth-place finish in the Olympics for failing to find a winning strategy in that semifinal disappointment. Sohail, Pakistan’s hero in the early part of their 2000 Olympic campaign, became their biggest villain after failing to convert even a single short corner on that fateful day.

So there was little surprise when they were jubilant when asked to comment on the new rule. “It is great news for hockey players and fans around the world,” said Islah, a former Pakistan captain. “We have been waiting for this rule for quite some time now and am delighted that it will be enforced much ahead of this year’s Olympics (in Athens),” added Islah, a member of the FIH Rules Board since 1992. Sohail Abbas, who since Sydney has enhanced his reputation as the most prolific short corner specialist in the world, expressed a huge sigh of relief on hearing the news. “It is the news I’ve been waiting for,” said Sohail who is once again expected to play a major role in Pakistan’s title quest in Athens this August.

Sohail agreed that the new rule should help him and other top short corners specialists around the world but added that more than that it will lift a emotional burden off his shoulders.

“It is true that the way the defenders of some team’s blocked my flick with their bodies affected my goal-scoring ratio. But that was not the biggest drawback of it all. There was this human angle. Whenever I used to take a short corner against team’s with such suicidal strategy I used to have a lot of pressure on me. I used to think what if my push causes some serious injury to a fellow player. Fortunately, such a thing didn’t happen but what if something had gone wrong,” said the soft-spoken Sohail.

Sohail agreed that it was the Korean innovation of blocking his flicks with the body of their defender that played a big role in the negative outcome of what was Pakistan’s biggest hockey match since their triumph over Holland in the final of the 1994 World Cup at the same venue in Sydney.

He said the introduction of the new FIH rule would favor teams like Pakistan and Holland due to the presence of top class short corner executioners.

Sohail pointed out that the rule might affect the performance of top Asian teams other than Pakistan. “It is mostly Asian teams like Korea and India who used to go for that suicidal defense unlike European sides who more or less play it safe. They are likely going to suffer.”

Islah seconded Sohail’s opinion saying that teams stronger in the short corner conversion department will now have an even better chance at the Olympics.

He praised the FIH Rules Board for coming out with the decision after working on it for several years. “As a Rule Board member I know how tricky it is to introduce new rules but I am happy that they finally worked out this one.”