The splitting of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) into two parties earlier this year means the four-time world champions and three-time Olympic gold medallists will miss the chance to compete at Glasgow 2014 and comes barely after a month after the nation failed to qualify for the 2014 International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Cup.

The quarrelling between the bodies - one is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the other is backed by the state-run Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) - has brought the nation dangerously close to suspension from the Olympic Movement, with the IOC demanding a meeting with officials from both associations and the Government at its Lausanne headquarters to settle the power struggle.

Although Pakistan is sending athletes to compete in other sports at next year's event, the national hockey federation ignored the IOC-backed faction of the POA because it relied heavily on the state-run PSB and consequently showed no interest in sending an entry to Glasgow 2014.

"Every Pakistani has an emotional association with hockey but the apathy from the hockey officials has led to this exclusion," POA President Arif Hasan said.

Pakistan won the hockey silver medal at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games


The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) had given Pakistan an additional month beyond the original August 16 deadline to submit an entry but the POA had not received the required assurances from the hockey federation to submit an application.

"Unfortunately common sense hasn't prevailed," CGF chief executive Mike Hooper told BBC Scotland.

"It's sad.

"The POA did everything they could to get the PHF to work with them but it simply did not happen.

"We have now issued an invitation to the first reserve on our list to send a team instead."

Alongside this issue, Pakistan's poor performance in the sport is causing further problems as secretary Asif Bajwa resigned last week, while former players demanded reforms and threatened to destroy their medals unless the Government addresses the slump in hockey.

Pakistan finished sixth at the last Commonwealth Games held in Delhi in 2010, while their best ever finish was a silver medal at Melbourne 2006 Games.

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