Delroy Lindo is addressing the racial slur that was heard during the BAFTA Film Awards last weekend while he and Michael B. Jordan were presenting onstage. As we reported ... a man identified as Tourette's syndrome advocate John Davidson shouted a…

NBC’s Saturday Night Live tackled one of the biggest controversies of the week, the shocking incident at the BAFTA Film Awards involving Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur,…

Abdou Toure had a game-high 29 points for Notre Dame-West Haven in the second SCC semifinal.

An article provides expert information on Tourette Syndrome and tics, detailing what medical professionals want the public to understand about the condition.

After a week of Tourette's in the spotlight, BBC News speaks to people with the condition about what it's like to live with.

As New York City Public Advocate, I’m in a very visible space with a very visible disability. Here's what I've learned.

The Canaries suffer another striker injury setback, leaving them with only one fit recognised forward.

Sie beziehen ihr Wissen über das Bergsteigen aus dem Internet, sind fit, haben aber kaum bergsteigerisches Können: Wie das enden kann, verdeutlichte jüngst das tragische Unglück am Grossglockner.

What happened at the Baftas last Sunday was incredibly unfortunate, but the way people are talking about it online is nothing short of shocking.

Alle tre mennene hadde rett til å være til stede. Alle tre burde nok blitt bedre beskyttet.

The BBC's director general tells its Executive Complaints Unit to complete a fast-tracked investigation.

Tourette's campaigner John Davidson has said the BBC should have "worked harder to prevent anything that I said" at the Bafta Film Awards being broadcast, and questioned why he was seated near a microphone.

Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson stated the BBC could have done more to prevent his involuntary racial slur from airing on national television.

An incident during this year's BAFTA awards in London caused an uproar and strong reactions. Tourette's Syndrome activist John Davidson involuntarily shouted a deeply racist...

BAFTA told its members this afternoon that it has started what it described as a comprehensive review of Sunday’s Film Awards after a racial slur was used when Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. “We want to assure all our members that a comprehensive review is underway,” the awards body said in […]

Filmmaker Jonte Richardson has resigned from a BAFTA jury following unintentional racist remarks made during the awards ceremony, stating that the show's creators harmed Black and disabled communities.

A report indicates that some children may begin to exhibit the initial signs of Tourette's syndrome around the age of six.

Kontroverza na dodjeli BAFTA nagrada eskalirala je nakon što su Jamie Foxx, Wendell Pierce i drugi javno kritikovali rasističku uvredu koju je, zbog tikova povezanih s Touretteov sindromom, izgovorio

Tourette’s Activist John Davidson Speaks Out After Shouting Racial Slur During BAFTAs  Forbes

Awarded best actor and rising star for role as man with Tourette syndrome in I Swear the 33-year-old was ‘mesmerising’ even when learning his craft in Hull

A BAFTA-gála szenzációja volt, hogy Robert Aramayo kapta a legjobb színésznek járó díjat egy Tourette-szindrómás megformálásáért. Csakhogy a karaktert ihlető férfi is a közönségben ült, és nehéz perce

INCIDENT na dodjeli BAFTA nagrada potaknuo je raspravu o Touretteovom sindromu.

A racial slur shouted during the awards show has raised questions about how Tourette’s outbursts should be understood

Tourette's campaigner John Davidson shouted the N-word as "Sinners" actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan, who are both black, presented the award for special visual effects

In not editing out Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson’s shouted tics, Bafta have allowed their successful diversity drive to be overshadowed

Foxx calls Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson’s shouts at the film awards ceremony ‘unacceptable’ The fallout over Tourette syndrome (TS) activist John Davidson’s outbursts at the Baftas on Sun

The subject of 'I Swear' was heard shouting a racial slur as Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award The post BAFTA apologises for profane outbursts from Tourette Syndrome campaigner John Davidson appeared first on NME.

Davidson is the inspiration behind Robert Aramayo's now BAFTA-winning performance in 'I Swear.'

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

Alan Cumming briefly halted the BAFTA Film Awards twice to apologize and thank the audience for their understanding amid interruptions from a nominee with Tourette’s syndrome. The Traitors presenter t

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday that the Green Shirts would tour Bangladesh in March for a three-match One Day International (ODI) series. In a press release, the PCB said, “Pakistan men’s cricket team will tour Bangladesh for a three-match ODI series, the Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed on Friday.” It said that the team would arrive in Bangladesh on March 9 and hold a training session the next day, ahead of the opening ODI against the hosts on March 11. The board added that the second ODI would be played on March 13, while the third and final match was scheduled for March 15. It added that all three matches would be played at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. “This will be Pakistan’s second tour of Bangladesh since July 2025. Pakistan last toured Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series in July, which the hosts won 2-1. Meanwhile, Bangladesh toured Pakistan for a three-match T20I series in May/June last year, which the Salman Ali Agha-led side won 3-0,” the PCB said. The development comes after Pakistan announced it would boycott the match against India during the ongoing T20 World Cup. The decision came after Bangladesh’s request to shift its matches out of India was rejected amid tensions between the two countries, which led to the team being replaced by Scotland in the tournament. The situation ultimately led to a delegation from the International Cricket Council visiting Pakistan, after which it was announced that Pakistan would play the match against India. However, the ICC also announced that Bangladesh would not face any penalty for opting out of the tournament and would also host an ICC event prior to the Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2031.

LIU will face Saint Francis (PA) after Toure's 26-point performance.

In a cut-for-time sketch from the Feb. 28 episode of “Saturday Night Live,” a parade of opportunistic cancelled celebrities used last week’s incident at the BAFTAs to blame their bad behavior and…

An opinion piece discusses the outrage surrounding an incident at the recent Bafta ceremony where the N-word was shouted by a Tourette's sufferer while two black actors were on stage.

An article discusses an incident at the BAFTA awards involving John Davidson and a racial slur, using it to highlight Tourette's syndrome and the need for greater understanding of neurological conditions.

In this week’s newsletter: After a controversial awards moment thrust the condition into the spotlight, we look at the new biopic of John Davidson and the decades of portrayals that led to it • Don’t…

An opinion piece argues that interpreting Tourette's tics as ideological messages leads to misunderstanding and strengthens stigma.

BAFTA is moving to correct the record on two fronts after John Davidson’s Tourette’s-related outburst — including the technical question of whether a microphone near his seat may have made the moment more audible — while the BBC faces growing scrutiny over how a racial slur remained in its tape-delayed BAFTA broadcast and on iPlayer. […]

EXCLUSIVE: BAFTA raised an alarm with the BBC about Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson’s involuntary racial slur during Sunday’s film awards, sparking further questions about how the incident ended…

The anger toward John Davidson’s racist Baftas outburst is understandable. But I’ve had to ask what I owe to others with the condition I cover Canada for the Guardian, a country spanning six time…

The British media outlet admitted to having made a "serious error" by omitting to cut the offensive term uttered by a guest with Tourette's syndrome and announced the opening of an investigation.

TikTok zvijezda i glumica Baylen Dupree, poznata po svom projektu "Baylen Out Loud", branila je aktivistu Johna Davidsona nakon što je on na dodjeli nagrada BAFTA 2026. povikao rasnu uvredu prema glum

Corporation says broadcasting of N-word by Tourette syndrome campaigner was ‘serious mistake’ The BBC is to undertake a fast-track investigation into the broadcasting of a racial slur aired during its

Google has issued a formal apology after a news notification containing a racial slur was sent to users. The alert was related to an involuntary outburst of the N-word by an audience member with Tourette syndrome during the BAFTAs. Google stated the error was a system malfunction, not AI-generated, and has since removed the offensive notification.

By failing to remove John Davidson’s tic from the broadcast, editors let down both black and disabled people I attended the Bafta awards on Sunday. And I arrived early enough to hear the Tourette syndrome (TS) campaigner John Davidson, on whom the biographical film I Swear is based, be introduced. He stood up to wave and take in the applause, and we were told that due to his TS, we might expect to hear involuntary vocal outbursts, known as tics, and that we should understand that the Baftas a...

Baylen Dupree, the eponymous star of TLC’s Baylen Out Loud, the biggest freshman cable hit last year, is a young woman who suffers from Tourette’s. Dupree knows a thing or two about how the disease is perceived and she has used her platform to defend John Davidson, the subject of the movie I Swear, after the […]

Touretteov sindrom je u fokusu javnosti nakon što je John Davidson na dodjeli BAFTA nagrada u Londonu viknuo rasističku psovku, a stručnjaci objašnjavaju njegove uzroke i simptome.

John Davidson iz Škotske, koji boluje od Touretteovog sindroma, oglasio se nakon što je na dodjeli BAFTA nagrada u Londonu uzviknuo rasističku uvredu (nigga) Michaelu B. Jordanu i Delroyju Lindu, koji

We would like to hear from people who are affected by Tourette’s and in particular those who have vocal tics involving swearing (coprolalia) Controversy erupted at the Baftas award ceremony after the BBC initially failed to edit out the N-word spoken involuntarily by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome (TS). In a statement Davidson said he was “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”. He added: “I have spent my life trying to su...

Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson says he left the BAFTAs ceremony "aware of the distress my tics were causing".

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

Tourette’s activist ‘mortified’ by involuntary racial slur at Baftas  The Times

AFTER the incident at the BAFTA Awards, a man with Tourette's syndrome describes the struggle of suppressing tics.

BAFTA Awards host Alan Cumming cited John Davidson's Tourette Syndrome as the reason he shouted the N-word while Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented onstage ... but Jamie Foxx isn't buying it

Corporation says it is sorry that words spoken involuntarily during ceremony by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, were not edited out

This cannot be overstated: BAFTA and the BBC failed us all. During the 79th BAFTA Film Awards, host Alan Cumming paused the ceremony to thank the audience for its “understanding” after a series of aud

Davidson was seated inside London's Royal Festival Hall where the ceremony took place and his involuntary tics were picked up by microphones causing presenters and winners to take pauses while speaking on stage

During Black History Month??? Tourette Syndrome activist John Davidson was heard shouting the N-word during Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo's presentation at the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday. Michael and Delroy's professionalism kept the show…

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

BAFTA Film Awards host Alan Cumming thanked the audience for their understanding on Sunday night after a number of outbursts from Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson during the show. Davidson, who is the inspiration for BAFTA-nominated movie “I Swear,” was diagnosed with the syndrome at the age of 25. His symptoms, which first began when he […]

The USS Lionfish docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The USS Lionfish was commissioned in 1944 and earned one battle star for service in World War II. It sank a Japanese submarine, rescued the crew of a B-29 bomber, and served as a training submarine. The Balao-class submarine is now a museum docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. The World War II submarine USS Lionfish was part of America's "Silent Service." Despite comprising less than 2% of all US Navy vessels during World War II, submarines like the USS Lionfish sank 55% of Japanese vessels in battle. This once-fearsome vessel is now a 311-foot-long museum exhibit, allowing the public to learn about its top-secret wartime operations. Take a look inside the USS Lionfish. Commissioned in 1944, the USS Lionfish earned one battle star for service during World War II. The USS Lionfish at sea in an undated photo. Arkivi/Getty Images Over the Balao-class submarine's two war patrols, she sank a Japanese submarine, destroyed a schooner, and rescued the crew of a downed American B-29 bomber. The USS Lionfish was recommissioned for the Korean War, serving from 1951 to 1953. From 1960 to 1971, the USS Lionfish served as a reserve training submarine, teaching crew members to operate similar vessels. Since 1973, the USS Lionfish has been on display at Battleship Cove, a maritime museum in Fall River, Massachusetts. The USS Lionfish. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Tickets to Battleship Cove cost $25 per adult. I visited the museum in January to take a closer look at the retired submarine. The first stop on my self-guided tour was the forward torpedo room, where 16 torpedomen slept and worked. The forward torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The forward torpedo room featured six torpedo tubes, each storing a torpedo, and 10 reloads. The 16 crew members slept alongside the torpedoes on pull-out bunks, remaining ready to fire at all times. Behind the torpedo room was officers' country, which included the officers' pantry. The officers' pantry. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider In the officers' pantry, meals for the higher-ranking crew members were reheated and plated on Navy china. They ate the same food as the rest of the sailors, but in a fancier setting. Officers used the wardroom for dining, working, and relaxing. The wardroom on board the USS Lionfish. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider It could also serve as an operating room in medical emergencies. Junior officers slept in a room with four bunks. The junior officers' quarters. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Officers enjoyed more privacy on board than enlisted men. Senior officers had even more privacy in a room with a triple bunk. The senior officers' quarters. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The submarine's second-in-command, known as the executive officer, slept in this room. The commanding officer slept in the only private room on board the submarine. The commanding officer's stateroom. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The commanding officer's stateroom featured a small desk that functioned as a private workspace. Chief petty officers slept five to a room in their quarters. The chief petty officers' quarters. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Chief petty officers served as liaisons between the officers and the crew. This room was also colloquially known as the "goat locker" since the more experienced officers were affectionately nicknamed "old goats." In the ship's office, an administrator known as the yeoman handled all of the ship's paperwork. The ship's office. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Personnel files, orders of supplies, and other administrative tasks were the yeoman's domain. Equipment in the control room managed the submarine's depth, speed, steering, and navigation. The control room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The commanding officer issued orders from the control center or the conning tower located directly above. The USS Lionfish's conning tower wasn't open to the public, but I did get to look inside one while touring another Balao-class submarine, the USS Becuna. Communications and covert operations were handled in the radio room. The radio room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The USS Lionfish was equipped with sonar, or "sound navigation and ranging," to listen for enemy ships in the surrounding waters. Chefs prepared meals for the submarine's 80 crew members in the main galley. The main galley. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider The galley prepared four meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and midnight rations known as "mid-rats." The crew's mess was an all-purpose room where sailors ate, lounged, and played games. The crew's mess. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Frozen and refrigerated food was stored in compartments underneath the floor. The bunks have been removed from the crew's berthing during ongoing restoration work. The crew's berthing. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Other Balao-class submarines held 35 or 36 bunks in this space. The USS Lionfish featured two engine rooms, each containing two diesel engines. The forward engine room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Each engine room was responsible for half of the ship's electric and propulsion power. In the maneuvering room, switches controlled the flow of electricity to the submarine's generators. The maneuvering room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider While surfaced, the submarine's four diesel engines powered its generators, which in turn powered the ship's motors. While submerged, storage batteries powered the motors. My tour ended with the after torpedo room at the back of the submarine. The after torpedo room. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Around 13 enlisted men worked and slept in the after torpedo room, which featured four torpedo tubes. The USS Lionfish remains unique among World War II submarines. The USS Lionfish docked at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. Talia Lakritz/Business Insider Over 50 submarines underwent a Greater Underwater Propulsive Power 1-A, or "GUPPY," modernization after World War II. However, the USS Lionfish remained as it was. Museum staff and volunteers are working to restore the USS Lionfish and preserve its original configuration. Even in frigid temperatures, I saw volunteers holding tools and walking carefully around the deck's open panels, revealing the complex mechanics beneath. Read the original article on Business Insider

Archbishop Charles Scicluna visited St Peter’s Monastery in Mdina in July 2024 and toured the museum, now said by the Curia to be “irregular”, set up within the historic complex, The Shift has confirmed. The Archbishop’s visit has raised fresh questions within Church circles about the timeline that led to the Vatican’s recent decision to … Continued

Taking the stage with writer-director Ryan Coogler to loud applause at the awards ceremony, Lindo offered just one of numerous allusions to the controversy that took place the previous Sunday in London.

Racial slur at BAFTA awards stirs complex feelings for Black people with Tourette syndrome  AP News

At the British Film Awards, a man with Tourette's syndrome racially insults two black actors. The BBC only removes the interjections after criticism.

Kirk Jones says he initially thought a slur shouted during the ceremony was not broadcast.

An article explores Tourette's syndrome, describing its challenges while also highlighting how it provides unique insights into the human condition.

Katariina Räikkönen, an advocate for Tourette's awareness, discusses her experiences living with the syndrome, emphasizing that offensive tics do not reflect the speaker's true thoughts.

British broadcaster has apologised for failing to edit out a racial slur shouted by a guest with Tourette syndrome.

The BBC is under fire over its failure to remove a racial slur shouted by John Davidson, who has Tourette syndrome, from its broadcast of the Bafta awards. Davidson was heard shouting the N-word while

Susanna Mitterer vom Kuratorium für Alpine Sicherheit ordnet die viele Lawinenabgänge dieser Tage ein, spricht über Gefahrenminimierung und die selten gewordene Tugend des Zuwartens

Google issued an apology after a notification for the BAFTA awards included the N-word, which was involuntarily shouted by an audience member with Tourette's syndrome during the ceremony.

Sunny Hostin accuses BBC of censoring a "Free Palestine" speech from BAFTA broadcast while allowing racial slur from audience member with Tourette syndrome to air unedited.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. raised immediate concerns about the involuntary racial slur directed at the stars of Sinners during the BAFTA Film Awards, requesting that the incident be removed from the BBC broadcast, Deadline can reveal. A well-placed source told Deadline that Warner Bros. executives made a complaint to BAFTA within minutes of Tourette’s campaigner John […]

A Tourette's activist who caused controversy by shouting the N-word during the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) has spoken out about the incident.

AKTIVIST John Davidson, koji ima Touretteov sindrom, nehotice je izviknuo rasnu uvredu na dodjeli BAFTA nagrada. On i BAFTA su se ispričali, pojašnjavajući da je incident posljedica njegovih tikova.

In the build-up to the BAFTA Film Awards, Deadline revealed how the BBC was desperate to avoid repeating the Glastonbury Festival meltdown that followed Bob Vylan’s “death to the IDF” chant. A few day

The British public broadcaster has apologized for not editing out a racial slur that was uttered at the BAFTA Awards ceremony last night. The individual who uttered the word suffers from Tourette's syndrome.

Says remark was 'involuntary' tic by Tourette sufferer who inspired a winning film

The BBC has apologized after its coverage of the BAFTA Film Awards failed to cut a racial slur shouted by an audience member with Tourette syndrome. The BBC said it was sorry for the “strong and offensive language” featured during the ceremony, which was pre-recorded on a two-hour delay before broadcasting on BBC One. During […]

O dezbatere aprinsă a izbucnit în rândul participanților la Premiile BAFTA după ce John Davidson, activist pentru sindromul Tourette, a fost auzit îstrigând pe tot parcursul spectacolului termeni rasi

Foxx calls Tourette syndrome activist John Davidson’s shouts at the film awards ceremony ‘unacceptable’, while Sinners’ production designer criticises Bafta’s ‘throwaway’ apology

Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler has criticized Alan Cumming’s on-stage apology after the N-word was shouted by a Tourette’s campaigner during the BAFTA Film Awards. Cumming briefly paused the ceremony twice to acknowledge the involuntary shouting from Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson, who is the subject of biopic I Swear. Davidson was sat in the audience […]

ENGLISH actor Robert Aramayo won the BAFTA award for best actor for his role in the film I Swear, beating Hollywood favorites. His victory positions him for the 2027 Oscars.

Bafta snubs Chalamet for rightful champion — Hull’s Robert Aramayo  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

I Swear review — an astonishing feelgood film about life with Tourette’s  The Times

Investigations are underway in Naples following the death of a two-year-old boy after a heart transplant, with suspicions that the donor heart was improperly cooled. Smartphones of six suspect doctors have been seized.

(LEFT) PHF President Tariq Hussain Bugti announces his resignation; while, PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets players from the national team.—Dawn • PM accepts Tariq Bugti’s resignation, Wani named interim president • Outgoing chief imposes two-year ban on captain Ammad Butt before quitting • PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi meets players, hands ‘compensation’ cheques • PSB blames PHF for mismanagement; Bugti alleges board delayed payments • Shake-up follows Australia tour fiasco, when players were left without hotel upon arrival LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: Amid a deepening crisis in Pakistan hockey, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday accepted the resignation of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Tariq Hussain Bugti and appointed Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Federal Secretary Mohiy­uddin Ahmed Wani as ad-hoc president of the federation. The premier also accepted the resignations of PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid and Treasurer Shahid Pervaiz Bhandara. Their replacements had not been announced until late Thursday night. The developments came amid controversy over the national team’s tour of Australia for the FIH Pro League, where accommodation arrangements could not be secured on time, forcing players to spend several hours on the road. The team’s overall performance in the Pro League also came under criticism. In addition, PHF elections had been facing delays. Mr Bugti had been appointed by interim prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to hold elections but did not complete the process during his tenure. Similarly, in his tenure, Mr Bugti-led PHF was accused of inaction over alleged corruption, pointed out by the Auditor General of Pakistan. There are more than 100 audit paras related to the PHF, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been probing the matter for over a year. Speaking after his appointment, Mr Wani said the governance mechanism of the PHF would be improved. “In the next six weeks, we will prepare a business plan for the PHF and take steps to run this federation on professional grounds,” he said. He added that IPC would form a working group with all sports boards and education bodies to focus on grassroots development and that international trainers and coaches would also be engaged. “There is no shortage of resources, but the PHF is facing financial management issues. We will work on this,” he said, adding that he would ensure free, fair and transparent elections. “Hockey, being the national game, is close to our hearts and we will take every possible step to bring positive change,” he said. National captain ‘banned’ Earlier on Thursday, before the prime minister’s decision, Mr Bugti announced his resignation, but not before imposing a two-year ban on national captain Ammad Shakeel Butt, citing findings of a committee regarding alleged misconduct. “I received a message (from a certain quarter) and I am resigning from the post as it is not a big issue. Had the prime minister asked me six months earlier, I would have left,” Mr Bugti said, appealing to the prime minister and Field Marshal Asim Munir to constitute an independent committee to probe the entire episode. He said he was ready to face any punishment if found responsible. However, shortly after Mr Bugti’s resignation, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the hockey players, including Ammad Butt and Hanan Shahid. In a message on X, Mr Naqvi said: “I am not becoming Hockey Federation President but we will assist players till this turmoil ends.” Talking to the media after the meeting, Mr Butt said Mr Naqvi directed that a training camp be set up in Lahore from Friday for the World Cup qualifiers to be held in Egypt and that immediate steps be taken to hire foreign coaches. Mr Butt said former Pakistan coach Roelant Oltmans had been contacted and might join the team directly in Egypt. On the reported two-year ban, Mr Butt said Mr Naqvi told him there was no ban and that the same team which toured Australia would travel to Egypt. The ban had reportedly been imposed under the PHF constitution, raising questions over the process for its reversal. The PCB later issued a statement confirming Mr Naqvi’s meeting with the players and announcing that cheques of Rs1,000,000 had been distributed to each member of the national team, which took second position in the last six international tournaments. The cricket board said Mr Naqvi had assured full cooperation in streamlining the affairs of the players and confirmed that tickets, hotel accommodation and kits would be arranged for the World Cup qualifying round. Outgoing PHF president Mr Bugti told Dawn that arrangements for the qualifiers had already been made through a grant from the Balochistan government. PSB-PHF blame game Meanwhile, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) issued a statement rejecting allegations levelled by the PHF and placing responsibility for the Australia tour’s mismanagement on the federation. The PSB said it had fulfilled all financial obligations for the FIH Pro League Phase 2 in Hobart and made timely payments. It alleged that the PHF had submitted visa applications late and with incomplete information, delaying the team’s departure from Feb 2 to Feb 5. According to the PSB, it bore Rs27.1 million in air ticket expenses and an additional Rs9.7m burden caused by the visa delays. It said that, at the PHF’s request, an advance of 49,280 Australian dollars was issued for hotel accommodation, along with daily allowances of USD 1,610 per player and USD 3,000 for miscellaneous expenses. The PSB also stated that while the PHF had sought a total grant of Rs350m for the Pro League, the government approved Rs250m, with the remaining amount to be arranged by the federation. It alleged that most of the PSB’s grant had been spent on salaries and foreign tours of PHF officials, prompting the board to stop issuing direct grants. In contrast, Mr Bugti had alleged that the PSB failed to make timely payments for hotel bookings and criticised the formation of a probe committee comprising PSB officials. He also urged the formation of a Pakistan Hockey Board and the transfer of stadium control to the PHF to generate funds. Meanwhile, Hockey legend Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, who had opposed Pakistan’s participation in the Pro League, said the national game deserved special treatment from the government. He criticised the heavy expenditure on the league and said the funds should have been directed towards grassroots development in schools, colleges and districts. Pakistan, a four-time World Cup winner and three-time Olympic champion, has faced a prolonged decline in international hockey over the past 30 years, amid repeated allegations of poor administration and negligence in the PHF officialdom, non-existent planning and upgrading, sheer lack of accountability, nepotism and a high frequency of changes in the federation. Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2026